Quality Sporrans for less money

**OC Richard** · 3rd September 25, 07:41 AM

Here are a couple of nice vintage Day sporrans I picked up on Ebay recently.

Experienced sporran-watchers here will know that the left one is by Nicoll Brothers (Bankfoot) the right one by WE Scot (Edinburgh). WE Scott never stamped their name, leaving the back blank for the stamps of retailers, in this case Hugh MacPherson (Edinburgh and St Catherines).

Nicoll Brothers sometimes stamped their own name and sometimes left the backs blank for retailers.

Though both sporrans "the same model" you can see the unique touches of the two makers.

Especially from the back you can see the squat round body-shape Nicoll Brothers are known for.

And as is usually the case each maker had their own unique stamps for the decoration.

Both sporrans came with lovely old high-quality silverplate long-link chain straps.

They were both from US sellers. The WE Scott sporran was $60 and the Nicoll Bros sporran was a $36 "Buy It Now" which I jumped on.

**OC Richard** · 3rd September 25, 04:11 PM

Here for under $50 B.I.N. in the USA a WE Scott brown Day sporran, very nice.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/28680043291...102140.m167418

**California Highlander** · 3rd September 25, 05:52 PM

That Nicoll Brothers fur front is my favorite type of day sporran. Lovely and a great price you got it for!

Originally Posted by OC Richard

Here are a couple of nice vintage Day sporrans I picked up on Ebay recently.

Experienced sporran-watchers here will know that the left one is by Nicoll Brothers (Bankfoot) the right one by WE Scot (Edinburgh). WE Scott never stamped their name, leaving the back blank for the stamps of retailers, in this case Hugh MacPherson (Edinburgh and St Catherines).

Nicoll Brothers sometimes stamped their own name and sometimes left the backs blank for retailers.

Though both sporrans "the same model" you can see the unique touches of the two makers.

Especially from the back you can see the squat round body-shape Nicoll Brothers are known for.

And as is usually the case each maker had their own unique stamps for the decoration.

Both sporrans came with lovely old high-quality silverplate long-link chain straps.

They were both from US sellers. The WE Scott sporran was $60 and the Nicoll Bros sporran was a $36 "Buy It Now" which I jumped on.

**OC Richard** · 3rd September 25, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by California Highlander

That Nicoll Brothers fur front is my favorite type of day sporran. Lovely and a great price you got it for!

Yes I feel lucky that I happened to see it before anyone else. I knew if I didn't click BIN it would be gone in minutes.

I too love the old brown Day sporrans with seal front. I don't know what it is about them, but they look "just right" to me.

Here's some more of that model including one post-1980 tarted-up one (it's by Nicoll Brothers, you can see the smaller knotwork stamps. And somebody had to replace one of the tassels).

**OC Richard** · 12th September 25, 06:52 AM

Plain black post-1980 WE Scott $19 in the USA

https://www.ebay.com/itm/14520341277...%7C1750%7C3000

Looks like the Wichita Caledonian Pipes & Drums https://www.wichitacaledonian.com/ is selling off all their old sporrans $15 each. You can see them wearing them on their site.

They don't show the backs so I can't be sure, but the shape of the bells looks UK made.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/38586653719...%7C1750%7C3000

A quite hideous sporran, again they don't show the back but the bells look UK-made, and the seller claims the sporran is Scottish-made $30

https://www.ebay.com/itm/33610802312...%7C1750%7C3000

**geomick** · 7th October 25, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

Looks like the Wichita Caledonian Pipes & Drums https://www.wichitacaledonian.com/ is selling off all their old sporrans $15 each. You can see them wearing them on their site.

They don't show the backs so I can't be sure, but the shape of the bells looks UK made.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/38586653719...%7C1750%7C3000

the Wichita Caledonian sporrans have a "Made in Scotland" sticker with a thistle on the back. The tab for the strap has a long isosceles triangular point at the bottom.

does that make it a W E Scott?

**OC Richard** · 8th October 25, 03:01 AM

Originally Posted by geomick

the Wichita Caledonian sporrans have a "Made in Scotland" sticker with a thistle on the back. The tab for the strap has a long isosceles triangular point at the bottom.
Does that make it a W E Scott?

Yes I would think so.

Here's a vintage WE Scott "Prince Charlie" (EW7) sporran, seal, in the UK, for around $50.

Two of the tassels are missing, but converting it into a 3-tassel sporran isn't a bad thing.

As usual the shipping cost to the US (if somebody wants to risk it) is exorbitant, but it would be a great acquisition for somebody in the UK.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/14687917288...Bk9SR6rwgrS4Zg