19th Century Brass Cantle Sporran Restoration Project

19th Century Brass Cantle Sporran Restoration Project - A dirty old box on one of our treasure hunts a very tired early nineteenth century sporran with original chain.

The pouch was once in an otter fur, but one hundred and fifty years of life had caused it to be beyond repair. Mr moth had done his damage and taken off most of the fur and some of the leather. The original leather braided tassels were also damaged and partly missing.

However, this made a perfect project for a new hand aged pouch using a vintage hide. The hinged brass cantle needed to have a certain amount of restoration to make sure the locking catch worked well and some of the dome topped clamping nuts and bolts were missing. So a few weeks of metal work restoration and remaking the matching bolts later. It was ready for a new pouch and strap leathers.

We were lucky enough to have a vintage hide that was just large enough for this project.

The design we based on an original eighteenth century style with three braided tassels. Once the new pouch was complete we hand aged the leather further to start building the patina.

Completed, the sporran just now needs to the brass to age back to a soft golden tone. Restored by our team of Highland elves and ready for another couple of hundred years of life.

19th Century Brass Cantle Sporran in as found condition.

19th Century Brass Cantle Sporran with replacement hand aged pouch.

A Sporran is a pouch (Scottish Gaelic for ‘purse’). Now a decorative part of Highland dress, it was originally an everyday practical item. Made of leather or fur, it usually has more or less elaborate silver or other ornamentation, especially on the clasp or hanger. It is worn on a chain or belt around the waist, allowing the sporran to lie below the waist of the person wearing a kilt.