Counterfeit sporrans?

[O'Callaghan]

L & M of Nova Scotia, Canada, make, amongst many other styles of sporran, some rather nice looking daywear sporrans in an Irish theme, in black leather with green trim around the edges, having three tassels, in two different versions with either a shamrock or a harp on them. They are advertised as being made of soft saddle leather, and sell in the US$ 120-140 range online.

Genuine ones are available from the ubiquitous Sport Kilt and from Hendersons' or Pipeband.net (I think the latter two sites are owned by the same people), amongst others. Sport Kilt only sell the shamrock version, and also sell a cheaper shamrock sporran, but different enough that it couldn't be confused with the L&M one that they sell.

I found what appears to be a copycat of the harp version of the L&M green edged sporran, going for the equivalent of about US$ 30 on eBay, and I've ordered one. I am pretty sure it's not the real thing at a bargain price, unless the photo is a mirror image, because the harp faces the 'wrong' way compared with every picture I've seen of the L&M one, LOL! In other respects it looks identical.

I fully expect that the leather may have all the softness of the finest cardboard, but I just like the design so much that I couldn't resist it at the price. I suppose some people might buy one thinking it was made by L&M, though.

ETA: The cheap sporrans are being sold from the UK, although I'm not sure exactly where. It would be ironic if it should turn out that a copy of a Canadian sporran were being made in Scotland!

[Paul]

It may well be authentic.
Just don't buy off of tartanista!

[M. A. C. Newsome]

The owners of L&M have told me that they repeatedly have their sporran designs copied by others. You can bet that when one of their designs gets popular, there will soon be a cheap Asian made imitation of it up on Ebay. It's a problem they have dealt with for years, and one reason why L&M keep coming up with new designs.

BTW, the Scottish Tartans Museum is an authorized L&M dealer, so we can supply any of their products to you, even if you don't see it on our web site.

[MacHummel]

CCK is a dealer for L&M and I have to say at the festivals we go to there are vendors that sell the cheap imitation of their sporrans, i often get asked what is the difference between the the cheap ones and L&M ones and when you put the two together you instantly see and feel the difference.

[piperdbh]

The countereits are easily recognizable becasue they just don't look right. Parts will be misaligned or the cantle will be loose or the leather will be flimsy.
Or the price will be too good to be true. And, if it really is an L&M item, it will be advertised as such.
I'd be glad to serve as a product tester for L&M, by the way. They could send me stuff and I could keep it. Sounds fair to me.

[Jack Daw]

I broke down and bought an L&M from STM this very day. I couldn't help myself.

[bricelythgoe]

They are just so darn expensive...

[Bing]

They are just so darn expensive...

...and worth every penny. The workmanship and quality can't be faulted.

This set me back over $800 and I don't regret it for a second. Glen and Pete have seen it IRL, just ask them.

[McMurdo]

They are just so darn expensive...

They are however absolutely worth every penny I've got two one Sealskin and one Black Leather. L&M Sporrans are what I'd call heirloom quality. All you need is one, unlike the imitations you will never have to replace an L&M. As for Bing's sporran it really is a beauty, and must be seen to be appreciated.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

They are just so darn expensive...

Depends on what your basis for comparison is. Keep in mind that L&M makes quite a range of sporrans.

The lowest price L&M sporran we offer is $100. The highest price one in our catalog is $750. And we have sporrans at every price point in between.

So whether your sporan budget is $100, or $200, or $300, or $400 and up, we've got sporrans for you.

We do sell sporrans for under $100, as well, but those are not L&M made.