Quality Sporrans for less money

**OC Richard** · 16th February 23, 06:05 AM

Originally Posted by JPS

Fortunately the cantle is stamped Made in Scotland. Not my style, either, but could be a very nice piece for someone here.

Ah, thanks, I missed that, the tiny Made in Scotland on one side of the cantle?

I believe those cantles were/are made by D&N.

Here's three I had at one point. The stamped ones were generally the higher-quality cantles in silverplate or brass, made in five pieces with separate screwed-on bosses. (Note all were done with the same stamp, having a faint "M" and a deep "S".)

**OC Richard** · 19th February 23, 05:37 AM

Interesting combination of things with this one, very low price if you don't have to pay international shipping (it's in Glasgow).

Typical seal Evening sporran but with the narrow metal rim used on the basic "pipers" sporrans, and a strangely wide gasket.

The back has the oldfashioned pocket, which was standard on Evening sporrans until WE Scott came out with the fully opening style in the 1950s. Still today horsehair "pipers" sporrans usually have this pocket style.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/32554094200...tion=10%7C3000

**tubino** · 19th February 23, 06:19 AM

Hard to overstate the value of someone knowledgeable pointing out the attributes of an item like this! I‘m new to all this but that makes me all the more appreciative of posts like the one above. I would much rather buy a pre-owned sporran with some character than a new one, and this one appeals to me. Hope it‘s mine soon!

**DCampbell16B** · 19th February 23, 06:54 AM

Please be aware that it is listed as seal and therefore illegal to import to the US. You could buy it but it would be confiscated at customs.

**OC Richard** · 19th February 23, 07:01 AM

Yes I myself have never taken that risk.

Various people in the USA have told me that they've bought seal sporrans and they've come through.

For me a seal sporran would have to be quite inexpensive for me to try that.

**OC Richard** · 19th February 23, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by tubino

Hard to overstate the value of someone knowledgeable pointing out the attributes of an item like this! I‘m new to all this but that makes me all the more appreciative of posts like the one above. I would much rather buy a pre-owned sporran with some character than a new one, and this one appeals to me. Hope it‘s mine soon!

Thanks!

To give context to my comment about the "huge gasket" here's that Ebay civilian seal Evening sporran (top row centre) with other examples of that sort of rim.

Top row left is an old Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders Other Ranks' sporran. The brass rim is a bit wider, but you can see it has similar construction, being held on with little nails at the corners. Its leather gasket is the width I'm used to seeing on these cantles.

Top row right shows the standard back of both civilian and military sporrans from Victorian times and still used for many horsehair "pipers" sporrans today.

Bottom row left is an interesting variation on this style, where a sheet-metal plate is fixed under the rim. It's the WWI sporran of the 5th Battalion The Seaforth Highlanders.

Bottom row centre is an old Seaforth Highlanders Other Ranks' sporran showing this sort of rim in brass, though it's a bit thinner.

Bottom row right is the quite common civilian "pipers" sporran called in several old catalogues "PS6" or "PS 6 Inch" (due to the adult-size cantle being 6 inches wide, to distinguish it from Youths' and Children's sporrans).

Since the civilian sporranmakers had these rims to hand it's not surprising that one would end up on an Evening Dress seal sporran.

**tubino** · 19th February 23, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by DCampbell16B

Please be aware that it is listed as seal and therefore illegal to import to the US. You could buy it but it would be confiscated at customs.

Thanks, I wondered about that. I have some options though! I could have it sent to a friend in the UK for a handoff later, so it would be entering the US in my luggage.

**tubino** · 23rd February 23, 12:14 PM

I won the auction, so it will be mine. It's being shipped to a UK address = US Customs won't be seeing this via mail. Thanks for the heads-up on this one! I'm excited. I might be wearing it for the first time when I attend a wedding on the Isle of Bute next September - and it returns to Glasgow for a day.

Originally Posted by OC Richard

Interesting combination of things with this one, very low price if you don't have to pay international shipping (it's in Glasgow).

https://www.ebay.com/itm/32554094200...tion=10%7C3000

**OC Richard** · 24th February 23, 12:13 PM

One of those very low Charity auctions, a Nicoll Brothers "youth" sporran and a brown leather and sealskin adult sporran.

I'd love the latter, but I'll not chance it getting into the US.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/22543766222...tion=10%7C3000

**OC Richard** · 5th March 23, 08:25 PM

A beautiful Nicoll Brothers seal Evening sporran, one of several EW6 styles.

The mottling on the seal is gorgeous.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/35461467047...tion=10%7C3000