Quality Sporrans for less money

**Bad Monkey** · 3rd December 19, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by imbrius

Not sure about the advertising but it sure helps those of us in the 'states since that particular species is protected here, meaning you can't import anything containing it.

funny thing; last April I picked up an old Argyll off of Etsy. The seller dropped in a used sporran in as well as a bonus (She was a real peach, nicest seller I've ever dealt with). Imagine my surprise when I opened up the package and found a seal skin sporran in the middle of the jacket. I guess those customs inspectors don't look too close at the small value packages coming in to the States.
I wouldn't count on it, though.

**OC Richard** · 13th December 19, 05:04 AM

Yes you never know! Customs can be random. I knew the owners of a Highland Outfitter here in the USA, who had kilts sporrans etc coming from the UK all the time, and they told me it was utterly random. Not only in which packages were stopped and which let through, but also in the sort of Duty applied to the same item.

In any case, here's a Made In Scotland stamped fox fur Evening Dress sporran in great condition for $60

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Scottish-Fo...temCondition=4

Made In Scotland "Day" sporran with seal front for around $50 including shipping

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Scottish-Ge...temCondition=4

And for something different, here's is quite a bargain if you want a long horsehair sporran, a genuine MOD long white horsehair sporran for $50. It's missing the cantle; you can pop on whatever cantle you want, they're usually interchangeable. (I have one cantle I really like and two different bodies I put in on.)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Bri...temCondition=4

**Highwayman** · 24th December 19, 07:56 PM

Very glad I found this thread! Been risking it with a black day sporran for years at a higher end ball each year, realizing now the hiccup I've made. The seal warning is also valuable as I'm in the USA. Any ideal search phrases to use?

**Highland Logan** · 25th December 19, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by Highwayman

Very glad I found this thread! Been risking it with a black day sporran for years at a higher end ball each year, realizing now the hiccup I've made. The seal warning is also valuable as I'm in the USA. Any ideal search phrases to use?

I assume you're looking for an evening sporran? Just use that. But you can narrow it down by type further. What type of fur or hair? What style of cantle? Vintage, new, new custom in a vintage style? And not least of which, upper price limit. Post a photo of what you would like, and I or others will help you with some search terms, links or shops to check.

Merry Christmas

Frank

**Karl R** · 25th December 19, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by Highwayman

Any ideal search phrases to use?

I'm not sure about "ideal" phrases. I did a quick Google search on "fur dress sporran" and generally got the right kind of sporrans. On eBay, I'll filter for all the used sporrans worldwide. It's usually about one page of results. I can skim the photos and see whether there's anything that matches what I'm interested in.

When it comes to fur, I would avoid rabbit fur, because it sheds very easily. (I believe fox is not particularly durable either.) If you want a sporran with short, sleek fur, bovine fur is a good (and traditional) option. It's also cheaper than most alternatives. For longer, fuzzier fur options, you might want to look at musquash (muskrat), coyote, or nutria. Musquash is quite traditional.

**MacRobert's Reply** · 26th December 19, 03:35 AM

The 'traditional' furs tend to include seal, otter and beaver that all have the sheen of aquatic animals. Used sporrans in these furs, especially seal, with silver-plated cantles are still readily available in Scotland at £60 to £100 but importation is the issue in spite of their age. From the 1950s they generally open at the cantle. Before that they generally open at the back.

**OC Richard** · 26th December 19, 11:04 AM

Here's a beautiful traditional-looking Day sporran, said to be made in Scotland (but I don't see the stamp) and going for very little money.

To bad for me here in the US, it appears to be seal, and I won't take the risk.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sporran-MAD...temCondition=4

**tuathanach** · 6th January 20, 03:14 PM

I had been wanting a good brown leather day sporran and someone here on XMTS (sorry, I don't remember who

)gave a pointer to a new L&M brown leather three tassel sporran made in Nova Scotia that had been in a storage unit since 1993. The link was to eBay in the UK, but since the seller was in the U.S., I contacted him and did buy the sporran. It just came today!! It looks really good. Thank you to whomever put up the link. (I went looking for it, but have not found it.)

Thank you Richard for this very useful thread!!

(Now if I can just find a grey sealskin dress sporran that is already in the U.S., I'll be set for quite a while...)

**Highland Logan** · 6th January 20, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by tuathanach

I had been wanting a good brown leather day sporran and someone here on XMTS (sorry, I don't remember who

)gave a pointer to a new L&M brown leather three tassel sporran made in Nova Scotia that had been in a storage unit since 1993. The link was to eBay in the UK, but since the seller was in the U.S., I contacted him and did buy the sporran. It just came today!! It looks really good. Thank you to whomever put up the link. (I went looking for it, but have not found it.)

Thank you Richard for this very useful thread!!

(Now if I can just find a grey sealskin dress sporran that is already in the U.S., I'll be set for quite a while...)

You really can't go wrong with L&M. They make a great quality sporran. For that matter, you can't go wrong with OCR when it come to knowledge on sporrans.

Frank

**OC Richard** · 30th January 20, 04:32 AM

Here's a $25 stamped Made In Scotland day sporran with fur front, here in the USA so no potential import issues

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Scottish-Sp...temCondition=4

Sporrans like this tick all the boxes: stamped Made In Scotland, very low price, and already within the borders of the USA so available to US buyers. (I think it's bovine fur so perfectly legal, but you never know about the vagaries of US Customs.)

Here's an all-leather day dress sporran stamped Janet Eagleton for $65, also a US seller

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Leath...temCondition=4

There's a load of lovely Made In Scotland evening dress sporrans, seal, on Ebay now but all from UK sellers so illegal to import.