Quality Sporrans for less money

[Ljk111]

If anyone was interested... https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fraser-of-L...8AAOSwk~ZaCKyR

[Steve Ashton]

If anyone was interested... https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fraser-of-L...8AAOSwk~ZaCKyR

I'm sorry, is this your Ebay listing? The sellers name is very close to yours.

[OC Richard]

Now the flip side to all of this, a cautionary tale.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Spo...p2056016.l4276

This is the sporran called "EW5" in the widely printed and used tri-fold sheet of sporran photos used by a number of sporran makers and Highland outfitters throughout the second half of the 20th century.

In that "canon" of sporrans the cantles were of two sorts: silverplated and stamped "Made in Scotland" or chrome plated and lacking that stamp.

This cantle has every appearance of being of the first sort, and I see nothing to suggest that it is Sterling Silver as is claimed by the seller.

The price of $375 is fair IMHO due to it being a lovely vintage sealskin sporran in great condition. But the price certainly isn't a "deal". Sporrans of this quality are often sold for much less.

It would be unfortunate if the bidding were driven up by people who think that the cantle is Sterling Silver.

Here is the sporran from the listing



Here is the pertinent page from that tri-fold brochure showing "EW5" (presumable Evening Wear 5-tassel)

[OC Richard]

If anyone was interested... https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fraser-of-L...8AAOSwk~ZaCKyR

It seems to me that some connexion with the TV show Outlander is being implied.

I wonder what the connexion might be.

[OC Richard]

Another listing which I would approach with caution.

The seller claims that it is made in Scotland, but I see a number of things which suggest otherwise:

1) it is not stamped Made In Scotland. By itself this isn't definitive, but it is something to note.

2) the belt has the buckle style often seen with Pakistani sporrans. By itself this isn't definitive, because belts can be switched, but once again it's something to note.

3) the bells are inconsistent in shape. One looks like the usual Scottish-made shape, one looks like the shape often seen with Pakistani sporrans.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Highlander-...p2056016.l4276

Part of sporran-spotting is being able to distinguish Scottish-made sporrans from Pakistan-made sporrans. There are sporrans which are obviously in one camp or the other, but occasionally a sporran can be difficult to figure.

There is another issue apart from this sporran's country of origin, and that's that somebody has screwed a screw into it! Never seen that before. For sure the buyer ought to take the screw out and take the sporran to a shoe repair shop and have the stitching re-done.