Hair Sporrans

[OC Richard]

Personally, I like two or three long tassels. More than that (or if short tassels are used), and it starts to look like a military sporran. But using two or three long ones seemed to be the norm back in the 1800s.. .

This brings up an interesting (for me at least) subject, and that is, the origin of the concept of long tassels.

All regimental long hair sporrans originally had five or six short tassels.

We sometimes forget that military Highland Dress was perpetuated through a very small number of regiments, five to be exact, due to the rest being de-kilted at the start of the 19th century.

Modern-style long hair sporrans appeared around 1835, and the kilted regiments' sporrans looked like this:

42nd Foot: 5 short black tassels on a white body

78th Foot: 6 short black tassels on a white body

79th Foot: 6 short black tassels on a brown/grey body

92nd Foot: 5 short white tassels on a black body

93rd Foot: 6 short white tassels on a black body

Around 1855 this pattern was changed when the 79th Foot switched to a black sporran with two long white tassels.

Around 1877 the 78th followed suit, switching from six short tassels to two long ones.

Around 1885 the 92nd continued the fad, switching to a white sporran with two long black tassels.

However the 42nd and 93rd never changed.

The Scots Guards pipers were wearing three long tassels by the 1870's if not earlier.