Black Watch Sporran - Post WW1?

[blackwatch70]

I was wondering if someone could help potentially date and shed more light on this very old sporran that has just come into my possession. I acquired it from a lady who was offloading some of her late husbands militaria collection. It looks to be a Black Watch Sporran, however there are no dates or stamps on the back. I have also been having a hard time place the "St.Andrew" Badge on the cantle....all the images I have seen online have a thistle and laurels beneath his feet...this one is without.

Any help would be appreciated.

I suppose that strange sporran badge is an edwardian era collar badge (worn on collars of officers red dress doublets), somehow got onto ORs sporran intead of standard badge.

[OC Richard]

I think I've found your sporran!

This sporran is said to be the sporran of the Glasgow Highlanders.

You can read online about that unit's convoluted history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Highlanders

They wore a uniform like that of The Black Watch with a slightly modified cap badge.

If this is indeed a Glasgow Highlanders sporran it raises why they would adopt a slightly different sporran badge than the Black Watch.



I failed to point out earlier that the pipers of The Black Watch have long worn a badge nearly identical to the cap badge of The Cameron Highlanders on their crossbelts.

Thing is, Cameron Highlanders cap badges have long existed in two versions, one with scroll and one without. The no-scroll Camerons cap badge is nearly identical to the Black Watch pipers' crossbelt lower badge.



So, the Glasgow Highlanders wouldn't have needed to get their design from the Camerons.

[sdmurray4]

OC Richard.... I owe you a few beers. You have been an amazing help.

I wish it had a stamp to date...any idea on value? Would I be crazy to try and reinforce the loops and wear it out one evening?

[OC Richard]

Come to Grandfather Mountain and I'll take you up on the beer offer! No...wait...it's a dry county, right?

It's a historical military thing and I myself wouldn't wear it with civilian clothes.

As far as value goes, I have no idea. With so many such things it's hard to know until you put it up on Ebay.

If it is a Glasgow Highlanders sporran, probably pre-World War One, there might be collectors out there looking for them.

I am getting the impression, from a quick look on the internet, that sporrans with that badge are seldom seen, both with surviving ones today and in vintage photos.

[RangerJohn]

I’ve had this sporran for years. I think it is an antique Argyll and Sutherland Highlander Regiment. Any information on the W.S.G company or anything about this old sporran?

[OC Richard]

Sorry I don't know about the WSG company.

But yes it's an old 93rd Foot / Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders sporran.

That sporran was worn by Other Ranks of the 93rd Foot (Sutherland Highlanders) from c1830 to 1881.

In 1881 the 93rd became the 2nd Battalion The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (the 1st Battalion was the old 91st Foot Princess Louise's Argyllshire Highlanders).

Here's that sporran being worn







Here you can see three different sporrans worn by members of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

-grey sporran, at left, worn by pipers
-badger mask sporran worn by the sergeant and officer
-OR's sporran worn by the other ranks.

[RangerJohn]

Sorry I don't know about the WSG company.

But yes it's an old 93rd Foot / Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders sporran.

That sporran was worn by Other Ranks of the 93rd Foot (Sutherland Highlanders) from c1830 to 1881.

In 1881 the 93rd became the 2nd Battalion The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders (the 1st Battalion was the old 91st Foot Princess Louise's Argyllshire Highlanders).

Here's that sporran being worn









Here you can see three different sporrans worn by members of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

-grey sporran, at left, worn by pipers
-badger mask sporran worn by the sergeant and officer
-OR's sporran worn by the other ranks.

Thanks so much, excellent!