Horsehair Sporrans

**Owl of Oban** · 2nd January 06, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by HeathBar

Obviously hair sporrans don't have a very high rating here, at least for civilian wear. Where did they go wrong? From the period illustrations I've seen they were a popular type of sporran for civilian wear.

One should be careful using the MacIan prints or other period Victorian illustrations of highland dress as models for what's proper. Those drawings are fanciful at best and while I don't doubt that the occasional highland gentleman strapped on broadsword, dirk, pistols, powder horn, plaid and yes, hair sporran for a formal event...consider that none of of those other acoutrements have survived in any commonly used form to today.

Just my 0.02.

**James** · 3rd January 06, 12:23 AM

Owl of Oban is quite right, people would dress up in the imagined attire of the
'wild untamed highlander', and so be pictured.

When in fact they'd probably wear trews or even the normal attire of the English upper classes: of which they saw themselves as a part.

The point being that the kilt is practical wear-imagine wearing a fancy hairy sporran on the hill all day, and in all weathers?

To get the point, look at the miltary portraits of the second part of the 19thC-all the finery: and then look at actual photographs of the time.

James

**MACKAY** · 3rd January 06, 05:32 AM

I have a b/w photo of my Great Grandfather standing outside of his croft in his kilt, jacket and vest with watch chain and fob, and is wearing a long horse hair sporran with what appears to be black hose and black lace up shoes. The photo dates around 1880. He is not in his "Formal Wear", nor was he a piper. However he did serve in the Black Watch, so this may be his sporran from his time in the service.

I do not have a scanner, however I am going get this photo, and several others that I have, and have then scanned in the near future.

Brian

**RockyR** · 3rd January 06, 06:14 AM

I'll vote for the "no go" side but for a different reason. If you're looking for a sporran for "everyday wear", you probably want one with lots of room.

Horsehair sporrans have VERY limited (if ANY AT ALL) pocket space to put your "stuff". We have 1 for sale in the shop and it has a VERY small pocket on the back... enough for your credit cards and money and MAYBE a couple keys. Many Horsehair sporrans don't have any pockets and you're left making your friends carry your stuff.

I can hear it now... "Can you hold my money at the bar... I don't have any pockets". "SURE!"

**highlander_Daz** · 3rd January 06, 07:31 AM

I come from a military family with grandparents in the Gordon Highlanders and an Uncle who served in the Black Watch, there is a very old photo of the Gordon Highlanders with my GG Grandfather on it and they all have horsehair sporrans Ill try and find a link

**highlander_Daz** · 3rd January 06, 07:35 AM

hes bottom left behind the machine gun

**davedove** · 3rd January 06, 07:56 AM

While there may have been some historical wear of the horsehair sporran, with the exception of military and pipe band wear, you just don't see them anywhere else in modern wear. I suppose if you were trying to recreate a period look, it would work, but not a modern look.