Quality Sporrans for less money

**OC Richard** · 24th July 24, 05:30 AM

Once again not a style that appeals to me, but the back looks 100% Margaret Morrison and it's 20 Pounds.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/14590726417...Bk9SR56WrMucZA

**JPS** · 24th July 24, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

Once again not a style that appeals to me, but the back looks 100% Margaret Morrison and it's 20 Pounds.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/14590726417...Bk9SR56WrMucZA

Comes with a great chain, though, and a decent-looking sgian dubh.

**JPS** · 29th July 24, 11:58 AM

Here's a fascinating specimen. It's got the tell-tale signs of a Forsyth sporran, particularly the back tab. Could be a later copy by one of the successors to RW Forsyth. There's no stamp to date it. Barrel tassels and braided accents on the body and flap are lovely, rarely seen touches. The kicker, though, is that this one is black!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256586498258

Reminds me a lot of my favorite old brown sporran.

braided sporran.jpg

**figheadair** · 29th July 24, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by JPS

Here's a fascinating specimen. It's got the tell-tale signs of a Forsyth sporran, particularly the back tab. Could be a later copy by one of the successors to RW Forsyth. There's no stamp to date it. Barrel tassels and braided accents on the body and flap are lovely, rarely seen touches. The kicker, though, is that this one is black!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256586498258

Reminds me a lot of my favorite old brown sporran.

braided sporran.jpg

The fact that it is black puts it in the modern copy box.

**figheadair** · 29th July 24, 02:26 PM

A nice Wm. Anderson sporran picked up on Etsy.

FB_IMG_1722288229448.jpg

**Troglodyte** · 30th July 24, 01:54 AM

Originally Posted by JPS

Here's a fascinating specimen. It's got the tell-tale signs of a Forsyth sporran, particularly the back tab. Could be a later copy by one of the successors to RW Forsyth. There's no stamp to date it. Barrel tassels and braided accents on the body and flap are lovely, rarely seen touches. The kicker, though, is that this one is black!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256586498258

Reminds me a lot of my favorite old brown sporran.

braided sporran.jpg

Very similar in many ways.

And a bit like this one, which is in a dark oxblood brown -

DSCF9361a.jpg DSCF9362a.jpg DSCF9363a.jpg

I'm not sure it being black is much of a problem, as it can do excellent service as a smarter alternative to brown, and just the thing with a dark tweed at, say, a church service or wedding. And at the current price, why not..?

This black one looks like new, and well-made in quality materials. Anyone know the maker..?

**OC Richard** · 1st August 24, 09:46 AM

Here's an undated Forsyth catalogue, the illustrations look c1960 to me.

I wish I was still in contact with that fashion history lady! I could bring in any old catalogue, advert, photo, etc and she could date it to within around a 5 year period based on the women's hairstyles.

**OC Richard** · 10th August 24, 12:54 AM

This is a bad one!!

Looks to be WE Scott. https://www.ebay.com/itm/20493207869...Bk9SR8i-9LOnZA

The part of the snap/popper that's riveted onto the sporran back panel has ripped entirely out.

Which brings up the question "what is that back panel made from?"

As I've mentioned I worked at a Highland Outfitter in the 1980s. We were a WE Scott stockist.

One day a customer brought in the sporran he had purchased from us. The rectangular tab for the sporran belt had torn off in a similar way, taking part of the back panel with it.

That very day our owner decided to switch to sporrans by L&M Highland Outfitters, Nova Scotia Canada.

What I don't know is how many sporrans WE Scott made like that. I think this one on Ebay now is only the second such I've seen.

**Troglodyte** · 15th August 24, 07:50 AM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

Which brings up the question "what is that back panel made from?"

It is some kind of leather-look fibreboard - compressed in the manufacturing process and given a very realistic faux leather surface dressing.

And the use of this board in commercial sporran-making today seems fairly universal, even by those who you might think would shun the stuff.

I recently bought a job-lot of ex-hire sporrans - which included four by the two best-known Perth-based makers - and they were all made using this same fibreboard.

It is my guess that the all-leather sporrans that now get classed as 'vintage' came to and end sometime in the 1980s. I have never seen a sporran made using the board from before that time, but nearly all the 'budget' models now seem to have it.

I have seen photos of the inside of a sporran-maker's workshop, which show stacks of panels ready-cut from the board. And the furs appear to be attached with a spray-on adhesive. Not that I blame them in any way, but it spoils the impression I have of the craft.

**Troglodyte** · 15th August 24, 08:05 AM

Right then.

Will the winning bidder of this handsome lot please make himself known.

Screenshot (146).png Screenshot (147).png Screenshot (148).png

For those who missed the bidding, it sold yesterday at auction in Glasgow - for the bargain price of £3,800..!

So how is that a sporran for less money, you ask.

Simple. It is a good £5000 less than a similar sporran that also sold at a Scottish auction house recently.

But this is just the hammer-price - a further 30 per cent or thereabouts in the way of fees is added.

I have to say I'm glad to see there are still a few well-heeled kilties with plenty of spending money, and that we're not all ageing paupers like me..!