Sporran chain vs. Sporran leather strap

[BoldHighlander]

Hello Everyone!

I've been away for a while (b-u-s-y! ).
I have a sporran that is made so one may pass a belt though. By doing that I find that I can dispense with the chain strap but I wonder if this is kosher as I have never seen a real sporran stap .
Comments -- suggestions -- ?

Thanks!
Bill

Seems to me that's how the originals were made a century or more ago. I think the strap is relatively modern in origin.

I would think the Strap came first....Or was that the egg ........ Sorry.

I've always thought that the strap came first because hide was readely available...Can anyone give another reason why this isn't so.

Originally the sporran was little more than a belt pouch worn to the side I believe. It wasn't til the Victorians that it had a separate strap and was worn as it is now, mostly to hide the "male attributes" and the gallant reflex.

While I might generally agree with this assesment, I have seen eyewitness artistic renderings, including this one from the Penicuik series of the '45 that clearly show what appears to be a belt-type strap:



Rather this was seperate or attached/sewn to the sporran I cannot say.

I also know that the 84th RoF living history organization has documentation from the later 18th century that shows they wore raccoon sporrans with a belt-type strap attached/sewn to the sporran.

Also, again in the Penicuik renderings as well as 18th century paintings I've been looking at, the sporran is almost always worn as it is now, squarely (or nearly so) in front.

note: the figure in the print is identified by the Penicuik artist as 'Glengarry'. This is presumed to be Colonel Angus McDonnell, Glengarry's second son, who was accidentally shot and killed on January 22, 1746, when one of Clanranald's men failed to realize that the firelock he was cleaning was loaded.

[Jack Daw]

While I might generally agree with this assesment, I have seen eyewitness artistic renderings, including this one from the Penicuik series of the '45 that clearly show what appears to be a belt-type strap:



Rather this was seperate or attached/sewn to the sporran I cannot say.

I also know that the 84th RoF living history organization has documentation from the later 18th century that shows they wore raccoon sporrans with a belt-type strap attached/sewn to the sporran.

Also, again in the Penicuik renderings as well as 18th century paintings I've been looking at, the sporran is almost always worn as it is now, squarely (or nearly so) in front.

note: the figure in the print is identified by the Penicuik artist as 'Glengarry'. This is presumed to be Colonel Angus McDonnell, Glengarry's second son, who was accidentally shot and killed on January 22, 1746, when one of Clanranald's men failed to realize that the firelock he was cleaning was loaded.

I've tried to wear my period pouch and one sporran to the side, but this is uncomfortable as I walk and the pouch slaps against my thigh. Nothing beats wearing it smack-dab in the middle; so, with this consideration, where's the logic to wear it to the side?

[BoldHighlander]

I've tried to wear my period pouch and one sporran to the side, but this is uncomfortable as I walk and the pouch slaps against my thigh. Nothing beats wearing it smack-dab in the middle; so, with this consideration, where's the logic to wear it to the side?

I don't know, I always wore mine in the middle as well