The SPORRAN that started it all...

[MacGumerait]

My first sporran ( that was actually mine not a " hand me down " ) was a semi-dress fur from Jack Ironside at The Scottish Shopper ( Seattle , WA ) back in 1973 . I was 16 at the time .

I still have it and the sporran and myself are still in " very good " condition . ( notice I didn't say " excellent " )

[TheOfficialBren]

Excellent, gents! I'd love to hear more stories. Keep 'em coming!

[OC Richard]

My first sporran... from Jack Ironside at The Scottish Shopper ( Seattle , WA ) back in 1973 . I was 16 at the time .

Wow that sounds familiar!

It was only about a year later that my grandmother made my first kilt, from fabric (not tartan, just plaid) that I got at a local fabric shop. By around 1975, when I was 18, I had got a Scottish Shopper catalogue, and ordered my first real items of kit from them: a plain brown Day sporran, and a pair of tan kilt hose.

You young'uns have to remember that there was no internet at that time, so living out in the sticks as I did, I had no access to anything until I got my hands on that catalogue.

That catalogue, to me, was like the Sears Wish Book! Page after page of things I had only seen occasional photos of, mostly on the covers of my few precious bagpipe albums. Here on these pages everything was photographed in detail, with names and prices. It was my introduction to the wonderful world of Highland Dress.

I was particularly fascinated by all the different species of sporrans. The most beautiful page to me was the full-page photo of all the sterling silver kilt pins. To this day it's kilt pins like these that I think of as "real" kilt pins. (The Robert Allison style pins.)

I wish I had one of those catalogues now! I'd scan the thing and post it here.

As I recall the sporran photos were the same, or almost the same, as the photos so many retailers and sporranmakers used back in the 70s and 80s, what might be called the traditional canon of sporran styles:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-styles-77256/

Sadly no photo of my first kilt or sporran. The sporran was the style called STM, of mid-brown pigskin, on the sporran pages linked to above.

For those unfamiliar with the Sears Wish Book, here it is

http://www.wishbookweb.com/1968_Sear...book/index.htm

[creagdhubh]

My first sporran was a wee boy's sporran (with a matching strap) made of medium-brown, full-grained leather and had three braided tassels and a snap closure - very basic and functional. Naturally, I wore this sporran at a fairly young age and then promptly outgrew it. I'm not sure if I have any photos of me wearing it or not, I'll have to take a look.

Cheers,

[SorenMacTavish]

...You young'uns have to remember that there was no internet at that time, so living out in the sticks as I did, I had no access to anything until I got my hands on that catalogue.

That catalogue, to me, was like the Sears Wish Book! Page after page of things I had only seen occasional photos of, mostly on the covers of my few precious bagpipe albums. Here on these pages everything was photographed in detail, with names and prices. It was my introduction to the wonderful world of Highland Dress....

I so understand that analogy (even being a youngin' and all)... So, thanks for sharing that memory of yours, as well as helping me to relive the memories of the Sears Wishbook every November.

[imrichmond]

My first sporran was a small, brown leather one that was issued to my father when he joined the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in 1940. He transferred to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (he was a qualified electrician) after a few months, but somehow managed to hang on to his kilt and sporran, both of which he wore at his wedding in 1942. I have a copy of my parents' wedding photo showing him wearing the sporran and the A & S kilt. Alas, the kilt was sold when he emigrated to Canada, but I still have the sporran, although I have not worn it for years. Here's the sporran in question:

[creagdhubh]

My first sporran was a small, brown leather one that was issued to my father when he joined the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in 1940. He transferred to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (he was a qualified electrician) after a few months, but somehow managed to hang on to his kilt and sporran, both of which he wore at his wedding in 1942. I have a copy of my parents' wedding photo showing him wearing the sporran and the A & S kilt. Alas, the kilt was sold when he emigrated to Canada, but I still have the sporran, although I have not worn it for years. Here's the sporran in question:

This was pretty much the same style and colour has my "wee bairn" sporran I wore as a yound lad. Simple and functional.

[TheOfficialBren]

These are some great stories. Thank you for posting photos and links, chaps.

:-)

[OC Richard]

My first sporran was a small, brown leather one that was issued to my father when he joined the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in 1940. He transferred to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (he was a qualified electrician) after a few months, but somehow managed to hang on to his kilt and sporran, both of which he wore at his wedding in 1942. I have a copy of my parents' wedding photo showing him wearing the sporran and the A & S kilt. Alas, the kilt was sold when he emigrated to Canada, but I still have the sporran, although I have not worn it for years. Here's the sporran in question:

That is so awesome! What a wonderful relic to have.

Here is the same sporran, worn by an Argyll

[MacTavishOfJapan]

The first sporran I bought is actually what lead me to here many moons ago, a Freelander and a truly amazing sporran it is.