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  1. #1
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    Opinions on tassels of a different colour to the front piece of a sporran?

    Hello all, I am in the process of putting together some potential semi-formal sporrans for our band (we are running a bit short of them so the pipers will need to move to a new sort, then the drummers eventually).
    I made a mockup of (very) black deer suede, black, smooth, shiny kangaroo hide, and white upholstery leather tassels. Apart from looking “a bit dainty” it was well received. Needs to be a fraction bigger and I shall double the leather for added weight, and have bulkier chains (3x crossed tassels).
    Am more likely to use white/speckled b&w hair-on cow hide for the final tassels, but is this a fashion faux pas? I know that spare tassels are sold for sporrans, and there are not any real hard and fast rules about colour matching as far as I can tell, but we don’t want to look silly.....

  2. #2
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    Do you mean an all-leather Day sporran, with black body and white braided leather tassels?

    I would have to see it, I can't recall seeing that.

    There are things like this







    Last edited by OC Richard; 4th August 20 at 09:04 PM.
    Proud Mountaineer from the Highlands of West Virginia; son of the Revolution and Civil War; first Europeans on the Guyandotte

  3. The Following User Says 'Aye' to OC Richard For This Useful Post:

    Ali

  4. #3
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    I will attempt to upload a picture of the prototype. I am using a very rich black suede in lieu of fur for the front part, because fur is not really quite the done thing in our area, but it is a flapped semi formal style, no cantle.
    I am not a fan at all of the cone shaped tassel caps (Cake decorating tips) - we will be going with rounded ones, possibly cast by our PM or turned from aluminium by one of our beginner pipers, or maybe purchased.
    Last edited by Ali; 4th August 20 at 09:35 PM. Reason: No picture!

  5. #4
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    Ok, another attempt with a pic.....

  6. #5
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    I just won this Kinloch Anderson sporran - although it does have a metal cantle, it is black with white tassels, if KA can get away with it, I'm sure you can...


  7. The Following User Says 'Aye' to Tomo For This Useful Post:

    Ali

  8. #6
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    Thanks, that looks great! I am a bit relieved to see at least one established maker is going for this look....

  9. #7
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    That's beautiful Tomo!

    I've seen black fur Evening sporrans with white tassels, but the edging was always black on those.

    Having the white tassels and white edging balances the whole thing very nicely.

    It's funny how in a certain region the different Pipe Bands will copy the kit of each other, and here in Southern California back in the 1990s there were at least four different bands that wore the same sporran, black fur with white tassels.

    Last edited by OC Richard; 5th August 20 at 10:29 AM.
    Proud Mountaineer from the Highlands of West Virginia; son of the Revolution and Civil War; first Europeans on the Guyandotte

  10. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ali View Post
    I am using a very rich black suede in lieu of fur for the front part, because fur is not really quite the done thing in our area, but it is a flapped semi formal style, no cantle.
    I am not a fan at all of the cone shaped tassel caps...we will be going with rounded ones...
    Interesting. Leather sporrans have traditionally had leather tassels, which don't have the metal caps. Rather, they have leather tops.

    The tops can be leather cones



    Or most common, a sort of a ball-shape that's created out of braided leather



    The metal caps or balls (not sure of the official name) traditionally go on the fur tassels on fur sporrans, and are suspended by chains.



    Ones does see interesting hybrid styles like this one, with the braided leather ropes, metal balls, and fur tassels



    I would very much recommend not going with the chains. They break. And almost never is the person wearing the sporran aware of when it broke, so the broken-off tassel is usually lost. Having spent 45 years in Pipe Bands I've seen thousands of band sporrans, and bands that have chains will always have members with missing tassels.

    On the other hand, in 45 years I don't think I've ever seen a sporran that has ordinary leather tassels to have one missing.

    You actually don't need tassels at all! The military has got along fine for over 100 years without them.



    Here's a civilian version, lighter brown leather, no badge, plain and classy

    Last edited by OC Richard; 5th August 20 at 02:28 PM.
    Proud Mountaineer from the Highlands of West Virginia; son of the Revolution and Civil War; first Europeans on the Guyandotte

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  12. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by OC Richard View Post
    Here's a civilian version, lighter brown leather, no badge, plain and classy
    I have this one as well. Although I am think of adding a buckle closure to it - similar to Herd of Sporrans Lomond models.

  13. #10
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    I think you would be better off going either without tassels or with tassels of the same colour, but I think the contrasting poses would be fine too. Just my personal taste.
    I think the “herd of sporrans” buckle closure is NOT a good idea. Especially for a band uniform, you want something nice and sleek, which the buckles are not lol. The snap closure always works well and looks good. On my sporrans I prefer a magnet closure—that way it always stays closed even if I forget and leave it open.
    Good luck! DIYing uniform parts is always fun.
    “The convents which the fathers had destroyed...the sons, rebuilt…”
    —Hereward the Wake, ‘Of the Fens’

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