Day wear cantle

[MacBean]

I think my first posts here last year were about trying to find brass cantles. Although there are some very fine cantles available in silver, they are expensive. But on the whole, I find modern cantles have a mass-produced look, though there are some exceptions. It is my uneducated impression that cantles went through a progression from constructed (saw and torch), to engraved, to stamped, and that moulded cantles may not be too common, although modern technology may have changed that. They also seem to have evolved from brass and silver to modern alloys. Modern pewter is not at all like antique pewter. In fact, I might very much like old pewter cantles, though perhaps old pewter is a bit too soft.

I think we are looking for a simple, natural cantle. Brass appeals in that it is easy to work, cheap compared to silver or gold, and can be polished up to shine nicely if we want. I would have thought that the concentric circles in this cantle could be machined, perhaps even with rudimentary home-grown tools, templates and ingenuity

[Caledonian Rogue]

You my highly untrained eye, it seems that the attachment of the bag to the cantle of that sporran is a bit odd. Firstly, it looks like there are holes provided in the front face of the cantle to accept a lacing attachment for the bag(which seems traditional, as near as I can tell).

Secondly, are not the hinge parts usually tucked inside the bag at the edges of the sporran?

Just observations that I'd love to hear about from someone who knows better.

Also, why did this sporran sell for such a high price? I must have missed something big.

Here are some photos of an old MOD sporran that I wear which show how the bag is fitted onto the cantle. This was made in 1957 and older sporrans I have seen have the bag laced on rather than fastened with snaps the way it is on my military sporran, but other than that, I believe the methods of construction are fairly traditional:

[Micric]

Downunder,
It myself wanting the catch info, and I thank you for it!

Caledonian Rogue,

Can you give me dimentions of this nice sporran you show?
Thank you for the photos!

Best,
richard.

[Downunder Kilt]

For interest, below is the price that functioning brass cantle sporrans have sold for over the last 5 months on ebay and military sites


1. May 2010 GBP92.00



2. September 2010 GBP668.00



3. September 2010 GBP158.00



4. September 2010 US$550.00





No 4 is the Mk 1 version of the of the MOD "Culloden" cantle with the white metal studs attached to the cantle, and has the pull up type latch. In the advert for it it is classed as an officers sporran with a gilt cantle and white metal inserts

No's 1 and 3 are the Mk 2 versions where the studs were pressed into the sheet metal at the time of manufacture, they have the push down type catch.

Just thought I would post these for information of those interested