Rob Roy Sporran on Ebay

**jkdesq** · 20th July 05, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by cajunscot

Some of the association of "Rob Roy" McGregor & Highland attire may be due (and this is only a theory, mind you) to Sir Walter Scott. It was Scott who introduced the legend of Rob Roy to the world through his novel, "Rob Roy" (on which the 1995 movie was loosely based),and he also wrote a history of the famous outlaw as well (I found a copy whilst browsing at Barnes & Noble). Given Sir Walter's influence on the 1822 state visit of George VI to Scotland, when the kilt & tartan "mania" began, I wonder if this might have something to do with the association, especially since Rob Roy has become the Scottish version of Robin Hood.

The thing that comes to my mind about "Rob Roy's Sporran" is supposedly it was booby trapped. My recollection is that in Sir Walter Scott's book Rob Roy, Scot describes Rob Roy opening his sporran in a secret way and says that if the sporran was opened incorrectly some sort of fire arm would go off and injure the intruder.

I don't suppose the sporran for sale on Ebay has a conceiled fire arm in it?

**macwilkin** · 20th July 05, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by jkdesq

The thing that comes to my mind about "Rob Roy's Sporran" is supposedly it was booby trapped. My recollection is that in Sir Walter Scott's book Rob Roy, Scot describes Rob Roy opening his sporran in a secret way and says that if the sporran was opened incorrectly some sort of fire arm would go off and injure the intruder.

I don't suppose the sporran for sale on Ebay has a conceiled fire arm in it?

I posted a link to article about sporran's from The Scotsman's online version a couple of weeks ago that talks about this particular sporran:

Sporrans have intrigued writers too. It is said that poet and novelist Sir Walter Scott was inspired by an 18th century sporran he saw on display at a Scottish museum. The sporran – now featured at the National Museum in Edinburgh - had a clasp of brass and steel with four concealed pistols. The contraption was meant to be discharged in a reckless attempt to open the locked purse, thus injuring the intruder. Scott incorporated this device into his story Rob Roy where Roy himself declared, "I advise no man to attempt opening this sporran till he has my secret."

Surely this is something that Edinburgh's own Sean Connery as James Bond could have used.

This article: http://heritage.scotsman.com/clans.c...20050720174842

You can see a picture of the sporran with the article. I joked with Freelander to see if he could come up wi' a version of his sporrans with this added "surprise"! :mrgreen:

Cheers,

Todd