William Anderson Dress Sporran

[StevieR]

So, I have been searching for some time for a nice dress sporran. I could find nothing I liked and although I was prepared to pay a few quid nothing brand new appealed to me at all. In the last few days I have been fortunate enough to have completed a transaction with a very nice chap, for a vintage sporran that fits the bill nicely. It has a very plain, silver plated cantle (stamped with a small fleur de lys on the back) that needs re-plating - no big problem - is sealskin and the lettering on the back informs me that William Anderson and Sons Ltd., Military Outfitters, Edinburgh and Glasgow supplied it. The inside of the purse is nicely lined with chamois.

I understand the sporran may date from the 1950's and wondered if William Anderson was the precursor to Kinloch Anderson? Any information would be appreciated.

There is a small piece of fur missing from the side of the sporran. Not too bad looking. Do I leave it or attempt to make a repair (if so how - a bit of fur from under the cantle glued into place?).

Finally, I have a mind to (maybe) make some embellishments to the cantle. I very much like the Jacobite design of pierced hearts and engraved bullseyes, which might prove costly but could, I think, be done by a competent jeweller. Any thoughts or opinions?

Here is my new sporran:

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. . . and an idea of what I mean by "hearts and bullseyes", pinched from another thread:

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