Full mask sporran: Yea or Nay?

[BLHS209]

However, if the pelt is processed well, mounted well, and most of all, worn well, then I see NO reason why it should not be done.

If I had seen these instead of the L&M that I had seen (and purchased), I probably would not have gotten mine. One of the "problems" with the photo's is the photography. Too much reflection / harsh lighting (and this is with most of the photo's on this site).

[Bing]

I know at least what I want for Christmas ;)

I have that L&M sporran, with a couple of modifications.

[Mike_Oettle]

Jeff Forrester wrote: “I would love to have a badger or bobcat full mask . . .”

I did a search for “bobcat full mask” and came up with a sporran that didn’t exactly inspire me.
A friend of mine has acquired a caracal (or rooikat) pelt – it is a smaller cousin of the bobcat, reddish in colour and with very pointy ears – which he plans to give to me at the weekend.
Depending on how good the face on the pelt is, I am seriously considering getting a full mask sporran made of it.
It would certainly say “South African” or at least “African” – this species is found across Africa and Arabia, as well as Iran and parts of Central Asia.
As for badgers, the local variety is the honey badger or ratel. It can be quite a vicious creature.
(The South African military uses an armoured personnel carrier called the Ratel.)
This badger has a silvery back (black and white fur mixed), and the white fur continues onto its scalp. However the face, throat, belly and sides are black.
It could probably make a very handsome long sporran using mainly the back fur.
Regards,
Mike

[Dixiedog]

No way... It makes the wearer look like a "Bloody Roo" with "Baby Roo" poking his little head out of yer "Pouch" to see what's happening!!!

[Manitoban Keith]

No way... It makes the wearer look like a "Bloody Roo" with "Baby Roo" poking his little head out of yer "Pouch" to see what's happening!!!

Dixiedog!

[Bugbear]

Post deleted.

[Dixiedog]

Thanks Keith... Appreciate the Welcome Aboard~ I was trying to be as nice as possible in my opinion of these Critter Bags... Being from Georgia, I like to hunt and fish as much as anybody, and a trophy on the wall is really a fine thing... But I gotta tell ya, I've seen these things before and to tell ya the truth... They look like someone was just walking down an old dusty back road in Georgia somewhere, then reached down and grabbed himself up a piece of fresh Road Kill Opossum, and slung it over his belt!!!

[DrumMayer]

I'd like to ask again, does any one have clear documentation of the first usage of the animal mask sporran?

[OC Richard]

I'd like to ask again, does any one have clear documentation of the first usage of the animal mask sporran?

In just leafing through a couple books I have to hand, the earliest image I see is a nice watercolour of a sergeant of The Black Watch, 1790, wearing an animal mask sporran. It isn't a badger, but almost looks like a sheep!

As far as I know the 93rd Highlanders wore badger mask sporrans from their raising in the 1790's.

The earliest painting I see which clearly shows a badger mask sporran is The MacNab by Raeburn, which by the style of his jacket looks maybe c1810.

[Lallans]

I belong to a school of thought that states it's acceptable to kill an animal for the benefit of several or many humans but not acceptable to kill an animal for the sake of, for instance, my own vanity (eating, that would be different). I don't see women wearing fur stoles with the animal's heads showing any more and I support that. This is not something I would even consider imposing on anyone else and some FM sporrans are very nice- but not one I have ever seen for current sale however; I think the art has been lost.