"Interesting" sporran, dirk, sgian & other items up for auction on November 17th

**Tam Piperson** · 11th November 12, 09:20 PM

I came across a listing for a matched set of vintage accessories including a matching silver-mounted hair sporran, dirk, sgian dubh, plaid brooch, waist and cross belts, and shoe buckles made from .800 silver and mounted with green and red agate and jasper stones. Not my cup of tea, but it is unusual to say the least http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/...ate-and-jasper

**sailortats** · 12th November 12, 07:21 AM

you certainly would stand out in a crowd if you were wearing all of that. I like the brooch but not too sure about the sporran.

**Tobus** · 12th November 12, 07:24 AM

Yeah, some of these items seem a little over the top. Especially if they were all worn together. It's a little much!

Are those two buckles a pair of shoe buckles? Can't say I've ever seen shoe buckles with inset stones.

**Tam Piperson** · 12th November 12, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by Tobus

Yeah, some of these items seem a little over the top. Especially if they were all worn together. It's a little much!

Are those two buckles a pair of shoe buckles? Can't say I've ever seen shoe buckles with inset stones.

Yes, the two smaller buckles are shoe buckles.

Apparently Scottish pebble jewelry enjoyed some popularity in the late 1800's early 1900's. Here is a page out of a R.W. Forsyth catalog from that period:

**Tobus** · 12th November 12, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by Tam Piperson

Yes, the two smaller buckles are shoe buckles.

Apparently Scottish pebble jewelry enjoyed some popularity in the late 1800's early 1900's.

Yes, and I've always been fond of the examples I've seen. There's a vendor I see at all the Highland Games who has a case of them. The price is way out of my range, although I might aspire to own one of the plaid brooches one of these days (I would have to come equipped with the knowledge to verify the hallmarks before ponying up that kind of money). I've seen lots of examples of dirk-style kilt pins, brooches, and other small jewelry. I just hadn't seen shoe buckles or sporran cantles in this style before. They are interesting, but not really suited to my taste. I just wonder if these were the only shoe buckles and cantle ever made in this style (making them exceptionally rare) or what...

**Tam Piperson** · 12th November 12, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by Tobus

Yes, and I've always been fond of the examples I've seen. There's a vendor I see at all the Highland Games who has a case of them. The price is way out of my range, although I might aspire to own one of the plaid brooches one of these days (I would have to come equipped with the knowledge to verify the hallmarks before ponying up that kind of money). I've seen lots of examples of dirk-style kilt pins, brooches, and other small jewelry. I just hadn't seen shoe buckles or sporran cantles in this style before. They are interesting, but not really suited to my taste. I just wonder if these were the only shoe buckles and cantle ever made in this style (making them exceptionally rare) or what...

They aren't my style either, but I thought they were interesting as they were a matched set. It's the first time that I've ever seen anything other than brooches or kilt pins decorated this way myself, which leads me to believe they were probably custom made for a gentleman who wanted to stand out in a crowd, since solid silver mountings and cairngorm stones tended to be commonplace for Highland attire in the late 1800's and early 1900's when these would have been made:

**MacSpadger** · 12th November 12, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Tam Piperson

Apparently Scottish pebble jewelry enjoyed some popularity in the late 1800's early 1900's.

Oh yes, there is a case at the museum where I work that holds hundreds of pieces, kilt pins, rings, etc, but mainly brooches.

**MacMillan of Rathdown** · 12th November 12, 05:06 PM

Gentlemen, at $3000 this suite is a snip. As far as the mountings being coin silver (.800 fine vs. .925 fine) this matters not a whit. Short of missing it's original case (the fitted box all of this would have originally come in) this is as good as it gets in terms of collectable Highland accouterments.

Frankly, I'd be mildly surprised if it didn't exceed the top estimate.

**sydnie7** · 12th November 12, 08:21 AM

Object lesson: just because you can do something does not mean you should. . . have seen and admired kilt pins like that, but the full ensemble is too much (in my eyes).