Antique Scottish 1890 -1900 Goats Hair Dress Sporran
Antique Scottish 1890 -1900 Goats Hair Dress Sporran
Antique Scottish 1890 -1900 Goats Hair Dress Sporran
Long before Kenneth Macleay painted the monograph Highlanders of Scotland for Queen Victoria published in 1870 the goat hair sporran was a very popular style. The style is still much sort after today for clients and collectors looking for a fine dress sporran. We recently sourced an antique goat hair from a client looking to rehome some of his sporran collection.
This goat hair sporran is true classic with an antique nickel silver sporran thistle cantle mounted with three knobs and under set with a black leather slip. The body is in a soft ivory goat hair and has three chain strung tassels with thistle cones in black goat hair.
The back in tooled leather has a classic small military style back purse.
Perfect for any wedding, ball or Highland dress function. “Looking to the past for inspiration, but never living in it.”
Kenneth MacLeay RSA RSW - 1802 - 1878
MacLeay was born in Oban and was involved in the founding of the RSA. He made his reputation with portraits painted in watercolour. These varied in size from miniatures printed on ivory of paper, to large full-length photographs of Highland Chiefs. He worked for the Royal family producing a series of watercolours of the Highland clans later published as Highlanders of Scotland (1870). He also painted Prince Albert and the Royal Family at Balmoral. A fine draughtsman, MacLeay was adept at capturing not only the sitter's likeness but also details of clothing and jewellery.
The original water colours are owned by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and are held in the library of Windsor Castle.