Evolution of Traditional sporrans

[Father Bill]

Thank you, Richard for your frequent research, analysis, and sharing of so much. It is a really helpful and enlightening insight for all of us. You are appreciated!

[Hauge]

Yet another great analysis, from OC Richard. Thank You Sir!

[OC Richard]

Thanks!

I had long wondered where the new small rounded seal Evening Sporrans with silver tops, which began appearing after World War One, had come from.

Then I saw exactly where, when I saw the sporran illustrations in that 1907 catalogue!

Amongst the Day Dress sporrans, upper right, is a sporran the size and shape of the other Day sporrans, but with a full fur body. So it combines the small rounded fur body of the animal mask Day sporrans with the silver top of the ornate brown leather Revival Day sporrans.

For whatever reason this type of Day sporran exploded into a host of similar styles, creating a new genre of Evening sporrans, in the 1920s and 1930s.

As we've seen it's rare for a sporran type to "code switch" like that. It is however exactly what happened to the Ghillie brogue, which started out as a Revival quasi-rustic tan roughout leather outdoor shoe, but which by the 1920s was being made in black Patent Leather with decorative silver buckles tacked onto the toes and worn with Evening Dress.

[grizzbass]

although now I have an urge to make some new sporrans:^)