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[Semiomniscient]

Semi-O, The first thing I figured out when I began pondering this is what Tobus seems to have hit on- there is a disproportionate fur to mask ratio in the average pelt. That is, you could make three or four mask sporrans if you could only find that three or four headed fox. If you will poke around on eBay, you will find fox and bobcat masks offered separately and relatively cheaply. It might be worth looking at some of them, though I have already figured out that not every mask makes a decent sporran. And this might be verging into DIY territory, but it seems to me the neatest trick is to display the animal's head over its back fur, which is done by cutting off the head and reattaching it backwards. This may not be the traditional method, but it seems to make good sense to me.

If you can produce a decent mask sporran and sell it for under $300, I expect you will need a large supply indeed.

Yeah, one of the reasons my dad wants to get into this is because he's unpleased with his badger mask sporran. (Mine is in better shape... but his isn't bad either!) Attaching the mask backward is how it's done, otherwise you'd never get the beautiful guard-fur and markings that are the prime of the pelt.

One of the reasons mask sporrans are so expensive is probably because of the scarcity of suitable masks. I think my grandfather's style of mask sporran works better because it avoids taxidermy and eyes and reconstruction becomes easier.... and yes, I think we've verged into DIY territory.

But back on the Internet marketing business, I'm just terribly surprised to find so few good examples of this style of sporran.

[Semiomniscient]

I just finished making my first full mask skunk sporran (I will post pictures later tonight). I also researched on the internet. Most of the pictures you see on all the Celtic wear websites is from L&M. If you go to L&M's website, you will see the pictures there.

Please come back to this thread to post your photo--or link it rather to your thread to show it off. I'm very interested to see how it goes, and I'm always happy to see someone taking on a full-mask sporran project.

[bricelythgoe]

Here is the link:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/m...x.html?t=57373

I thought it ended up pretty good for being my first time.

Brice

Please come back to this thread to post your photo--or link it rather to your thread to show it off. I'm very interested to see how it goes, and I'm always happy to see someone taking on a full-mask sporran project.

[bricelythgoe]

One of the reasons mask sporrans are so expensive is probably because of the scarcity of suitable masks. I think my grandfather's style of mask sporran works better because it avoids taxidermy and eyes and reconstruction becomes easier.... and yes, I think we've verged into DIY territory.

I am having a hard time seeing what you are talking about here. I have always seen full mask sporrans with a taxidermy head and some-what real looking eyes. Are there other ways? Any pictures?

[Semiomniscient]

I am having a hard time seeing what you are talking about here. I have always seen full mask sporrans with a taxidermy head and some-what real looking eyes. Are there other ways? Any pictures?

Why yes! Here are photos of the two I own that my grandfather made. I took photos tonight actually. These all are the ones focused on the head and the lay of it. Note that the eyes are sewn shut and that only cotton is used to stuff the head. I grew up seeing these on my dad and his dad and the gentlemen in the local Caledonian society. I was actually incredibly taken aback when I saw the taxidermied versions--and always made fun of my dad for his beady-eyed muskrat sporran that I thought of as a novelty and cartoonish! Go figure!

[MacLowlife]

Once you resolve the eyes, you'll have to start thinking about noses. I have looked at a handful of (fox) furs and most of them have some kind of alteration or augmentation to the nose, too. I expect it can be a tiny patch of suede or something hard- painted wood or even a button...The bigger the mask, the more this will matter.

Open mouth is another thing, too. I believe one can purchase little sets of great nasty teethies.

[Semiomniscient]

Once you resolve the eyes, you'll have to start thinking about noses. I have looked at a handful of (fox) furs and most of them have some kind of alteration or augmentation to the nose, too. I expect it can be a tiny patch of suede or something hard- painted wood or even a button...The bigger the mask, the more this will matter.

Open mouth is another thing, too. I believe one can purchase little sets of great nasty teethies.

The noses on mine seem pretty much okay. My dad's had his reconstructed a little more than he cares for. I haven't seen his in a while though to tell.

I don't abide the open mouth stuff! It's too vicious for attire. If you want teethies to go with your Scottish attire, get a good terrier! ;-)

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Jamie,

I, and many others, think that mask sporrans look best with miniman taxidermy. I think you need enough so that it looks "finished" (i.e. not like a limp flap of animal pelt hanging loosely from the top of your sporran). But some of the full mask sporrans I've seen in recent years are way over the top.

Examples of what I mean.

Just taxidermied enough...


(Obviously these photos are from L&M).

Overly taxidermied...




Now I'm sure these latter sporrans are well crafted, but the masks are just way over the top for my tastes. I've had a visitor from Scotland who saw several of these at an American Highland Games comment to me that he felt these sporrans were actually poking fun of traditional Scottish dress. Now I'm certain that is neither the makers' or the wearers' intent, but such is the impression that he got....

In any case, I'm guessing you feel the same way about overly taxidermied masks, so I'm preaching to the chior.

Regarding the internet advertising, the reason you see so many of the exact photos on different web sites is two fold.

First, many sporran makers supply to a variety or retailers. So any retailer who carries that line may be using the same pictures on their web site. For example, one of the sporran makers we use at the museum gift shop is L&M. L&M wholesales their line to lots of suppliers, and like us, many of those use L&M supplied photos on their site. So you'll see the same images. The only way around that is to do your own photography, but with as many different sporran styles as a company like L&M offers, that is simply cost prohibitive for many folks.

A second consideration, however unfortunate, is that there are pleny of less scrupulous suppliers of Highland wear out there that have no problem in taking an image of a quality product from a supplier's web site (or sometimes another retailer's web site) and using it to sell their own less expensive copy of that style. I can tell you personally that I've had conversations with the owners of L&M and they tell me that their sporran designs are constantly being copied by competitors who sell much cheaper (in terms of quality and price) versions, using their images. (No doubt why the L&M images above are now watermarked).

[RockyR]

I ditto everything Matt said above with a few more points:

1. Some men (and more often their wives) just don't like the look of a full mask sporran. They don't mind seeing fur, but don't want to look it in the face. OFTEN we've had the comment when a man is picking out a sporran... "Which one do you like, Honey". The wife replies "Anyone but THAT one" (pointing to the full mask)

2. The expense... a proper made full mask sporran is more labor intensive than a traditional sporran b/c the head / face must be properly taxidermied to make sure it lasts a lifetime (it's owners, no longer it's own lifetime. sorry... morbid sense of humor).

3. B/C of the expense and somewhat limited appeal, it's a niche within a niche market. That's the reason that L & M is the only major supplier of head on sporrans (with the small exception of a few 'Indy sporran makers' and Morrisons selling a Muskrat Head On). I've asked other sporran suppliers why they don't make them and was told there was 'not enough of a call for them'.

4. Most retailers need a consistent supply of goods. If a retailer is going to take the time to add the product to the website / catalog / store and promote it, we have to know that when it's time to re-order, we'll be able to do that with ease... not have a company with limited stock, or no stock or one that has the chance of folding (not that you would, but just as a point of refference). We have to know that if we need more of something, we can get it.

All of these points along with Matt's are why there's a limited supply (and limited suppliers) of these. The reason that MOST companies only carry stock L / M photos is b/c they typically don't carry their full range of sporrans as it gets expensive. They just use stock photos and order the product as it's ordered from THEM by a customer (hence the 'lead time' many companies have on Full Mask sporrans).

My PERSONAL opinions:

I do like the eyes. When it's eyes are sewn shut, it doesn't have that same 'life' to it that it does when they are open. I also like the 'full shaping' of the head as it looks more 'finished' than just the pelt hanging with minimal stuffing.

I agree that having the teeth show and having it "over taxidermied" is going a bit too far though. Know when to say when.

Just my $.04.... $.02 Personal opinion and $.02 Retailer opinion.

[Semiomniscient]

I ditto everything Matt said above with a few more points:

1. Some men (and more often their wives) just don't like the look of a full mask sporran. They don't mind seeing fur, but don't want to look it in the face. OFTEN we've had the comment when a man is picking out a sporran... "Which one do you like, Honey". The wife replies "Anyone but THAT one" (pointing to the full mask)

2. The expense... a proper made full mask sporran is more labor intensive than a traditional sporran b/c the head / face must be properly taxidermied to make sure it lasts a lifetime (it's owners, no longer it's own lifetime. sorry... morbid sense of humor).

3. B/C of the expense and somewhat limited appeal, it's a niche within a niche market. That's the reason that L & M is the only major supplier of head on sporrans (with the small exception of a few 'Indy sporran makers' and Morrisons selling a Muskrat Head On). I've asked other sporran suppliers why they don't make them and was told there was 'not enough of a call for them'.

4. Most retailers need a consistent supply of goods. If a retailer is going to take the time to add the product to the website / catalog / store and promote it, we have to know that when it's time to re-order, we'll be able to do that with ease... not have a company with limited stock, or no stock or one that has the chance of folding (not that you would, but just as a point of refference). We have to know that if we need more of something, we can get it.

All of these points along with Matt's are why there's a limited supply (and limited suppliers) of these. The reason that MOST companies only carry stock L / M photos is b/c they typically don't carry their full range of sporrans as it gets expensive. They just use stock photos and order the product as it's ordered from THEM by a customer (hence the 'lead time' many companies have on Full Mask sporrans).

My PERSONAL opinions:

I do like the eyes. When it's eyes are sewn shut, it doesn't have that same 'life' to it that it does when they are open. I also like the 'full shaping' of the head as it looks more 'finished' than just the pelt hanging with minimal stuffing.

I agree that having the teeth show and having it "over taxidermied" is going a bit too far though. Know when to say when.

Just my $.04.... $.02 Personal opinion and $.02 Retailer opinion.

1. & 2. I guess wives do have a say in the matter. Especially when the price is so high--sporrans (and Highland attire in general) tend to be discussion-worthy financial expenses. So when it doesn't meet with their taste, it gets the veto.

3. I suppose it is niche. But it is my favorite type of sporran and in my opinion, the most useful. It is appropriate for daywear, eveningwear, civilian reenactment or "period" dress. I suppose it IS best left to individual artisans who can have specific styles and not make comercialized uniformity.

On your personal opinions...

I dislike the eyes for the same reason you like them... they look alive! ;-) I guess to each his own. But I do wonder if there are any garments (Scottish or not) where fur pelts are given eyes.

I understand the "head shaping" bit. But I prefer very light sporrans due mainly because of Scottish Country Dancing (and I often wear my Scottish attire for ballroom). I was acting courier between two friends and brought a nutria fullmask from Louisiana to Georgia for the Stone Mountain games. It was a lovely sporran, with the shaped head like you mentioned. But it was ridiculously heavy! I couldn't have worn it comfortably I think if I were only about for a short stroll! I suppose lighter material good be used. What is typically used in cases like this? Taxidermy foam?