Military style sporrans

[kilted2000]

Is there a real difference between Margret Morrisons military sporran https://morrison-sporrans.co.uk/prod...ar-sporran-l6a and the surplus Royal Regiment of Scotland sporrans on eBay? https://www.ebay.com/itm/16673308813...3ABFBMjOXY1fhj

[ShaunMaxwell]

Is there a real difference between Margret Morrisons military sporran https://morrison-sporrans.co.uk/prod...ar-sporran-l6a and the surplus Royal Regiment of Scotland sporrans on eBay? https://www.ebay.com/itm/16673308813...3ABFBMjOXY1fhj

You have options for the color of the leather on the MM version, and it’s suede lined, unlike the MOD version.

That said, my MOD version — apart from the gusset— is lined, though not with suede. It’s lined with the same type of leather as the exterior of the sporran:





Whether or not those options are worth £100 is up to you. I own only one MM sporran — a brown leather hunting version — and it’s one I find myself wearing quite frequently.

You can’t go wrong with MM, but if you’re just wanting a brown leather military sporran — and you can get an UNISSUED (so that it’s not scuffed and battered) MOD version for £50 — I’d probably go that route and save the difference for a different MM sporran or other needed kit.

Cheers,

SM

[Troglodyte]

Is there a real difference between Margret Morrisons military sporran https://morrison-sporrans.co.uk/prod...ar-sporran-l6a and the surplus Royal Regiment of Scotland sporrans on eBay? https://www.ebay.com/itm/16673308813...3ABFBMjOXY1fhj

The answer is a simple 'Yes', but the differences a subtle and are not obvious at a glance.

The eBay listing you show has the impressed British Army Ministry of Defence NATO reference number (so it can be taken as genuine, and made to NATO specification as used by the MoD) and appears to be in unused condition. And at the price, it is good value.

Margaret Morrison are makers and suppliers to the MoD, and use the tooling and cutting that Nicoll Bros. operated with when they were the supplier, and their civilian version has a few non-MoD refinements - such as choice of leather colour and lining.

This is where the difference in price comes in - you get what you pay for, and buying new from MM allows you to customise your order. Their quality is excellent.

The military 'purse' has been modified slightly over time, and the old Nicoll Bros. version remained very similar to what was originally the standard issue style.

These had a half-lined interior (really just the underside of the flap, and extending down to a bit below the top edge of the gusset) and the edge-binding was turned (French seam style) to enclose the stitching, as you can see from my pictures.

DSCF6812.jpg DSCF6813.jpg DSCF6814.jpg DSCF6815.jpg DSCF6816.jpg

Nicoll Bros. ceased production close on 20 years ago, but unused sporrans of theirs can still be found - like this one of mine - and usually sell for about half the asking price of the MoD one on eBay.

Regimental custom has varied over time, but Other Ranks were issued with brown leather purses which they had to make black with heavy bulling. Once a certain NCO rank had been attained, a black leather purse was available (I know, but it makes sense to the army) and officers could retain the brown finish.

Most of the used ex-army surplus sporrans I have seen are the heavily-bulled brown-to-black sort, often with the regimental badge on the front. These can be very cheap in price, but they fail to make the transition to civilian use very well - they always look like they're too shiny and on parade.

[OC Richard]

The trick with the RRS sporrans, and indeed any of those No2 Dress leather sporrans, is getting one that doesn't have the holes punched in the front.

I think all the sporran makers used to make that pattern, WE Scott used the code "HB" (presumably "Highland Brigade").

What I would like to know is when soldiers started making their brown-issued sporrans black.

At some point, at least with some units, the MOD relented to this custom and started issuing nasty shiny black synthetic sporrans.

At one point I thought they were only issued to Irish regiments, because every one I saw had an Irish regimental badge on it, but then I saw some with Black Watch badges.

Happily when the RRS was formed they returned to brown, and leave them brown from the photos I've seen.

Black Watch sporrans.

Upper left WWII.
Upper right stamped 1950s.
Lower left stamped 1980s.
Lower right 3SCOTS.

Notice the traditional pattern of BW No2 sporrans. Each regiment had a different style.