Quality Sporrans for less money

[RGM1]

It was on a poster in the Murray booth at the Covenant ers festival in Quarryville this weekend. I am making inquiries to see what one would cost.

[OC Richard]

If it's a regimental sporran it would be the Atholl Highlanders, which I've seen referred to as "the only private standing army in the Realm" and "a ceremonial infantry regiment."

The sporrans worn by the pipers are quite ornate (below). I'm guessing that a maker like Margaret Morrison could make one, but it would be expensive, and you would probably need to obtain permission from the Atholl Highlanders.

The Other Ranks wear a sporran with a plain black leather cantle, but having the same badges.

(They wear Murray of Atholl tartan.)

[RGM1]

No plans to become a piper so likely out of reach for a variety of reasons.

[OC Richard]

No plans to become a piper so likely out of reach for a variety of reasons.

It doesn't require being a piper to buy a sporran, but if it's part of the uniform of a current military unit things can sometimes get complicated.

If, say, Margaret Morrison has a contract to provide a specific pattern of sporran to a specific unit they probably won't sell that pattern to the general public.

On the other hand, Royal Regiment of Scotland sporrans are all over Ebay as ex-army items. But then comes the question of tact.

[OC Richard]

Somebody is selling a pile of (presumably) ex-hire sporrans.

Several are stamped MM (Margaret Morrison) and several others appear to be MM though not so stamped.

If nothing else they're an inexpensive source for cantles for DYI people. There's one cantle that I associate with Nicoll Brothers sporrans.

They're being sold in several lots:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/32626476861...a4o-8ZA&edge=0

https://www.ebay.com/itm/32626476204...GtJC8ZA&edge=0

https://www.ebay.com/itm/32626474308...KuZC8ZA&edge=0

https://www.ebay.com/itm/32626475216...a4o-8ZA&edge=0

[RGM1]

I have bid unsuccessfully on several sporrans so was surprised when a relatively low bid by my history scored a nice looking sporran from a charity auction in England. Then I get an email from eBay saying it was a restricted item and they would be refunding my payments. Apparently it was seal. Now I am reluctant to bid on sporrans which don't identify the materials. Any guidance on identifying the animal involved?

[OC Richard]

I have bid unsuccessfully on several sporrans so was surprised when a relatively low bid by my history scored a nice looking sporran from a charity auction in England. Then I get an email from eBay saying it was a restricted item and they would be refunding my payments. Apparently it was seal. Now I am reluctant to bid on sporrans which don't identify the materials. Any guidance on identifying the animal involved?

You bring up a complicated topic that needs to be addressed as three separate issues. (Sorry Troglodyte and myself cross-posted.)

First is that sealskin is illegal to import into the USA, or be sold within US borders, since 1972 (the Marine Mammal Protection Act).
In spite of this many people have purchased seal sporrans from outwith the US which have come through without being caught.

Besides that, Pakistani firms make seal sporrans by the hundreds and ship them into the US all the time. To see how common it is, search Ebay for "seal sporran" and restrict your search to "US only". You'll see a number of sellers in the US offering seal sporrans made in Pakistan.

If you want a Scottish-made seal sporran the safest way is to buy one already within US borders, which do come up on Ebay fairly often.

Secondly, how does one identify a sealskin sporran?
It just comes down to familiarity. Sealskin has an unmistakable look and feel in person, and it's easy to spot IF the Ebay seller posts clear enough photos.

Starting in 1972 Scottish makers like WE Scott & Son began using "bovine" and "pony" as seal substitutes for the US market. These have the short hair of seal but not the almost metallic sheen that seal has. Another distinctive thing is colour: seal often has a subtle greenish tint that bovine and pony never have AFAIK.

One way NOT to identify seal is by Ebay sellers' descriptions. They misidentify fur (and metal) more often than they get it right.

One thing to be aware of is that there was a short-lived fad for artificial fur around the late 1950s and early 1960s (I haven't been able to pin down the exact timings.) This fur wasn't considered a cheap alternative, in fact it was at least as expensive as real fur. WE Scott & Son made a large number of sporrans around that time in the same dingy white artificial fur. Once again, seeing and handling these sporrans in person is the best way to identify them in Ebay photos.

Third, there's a scam that's been ongoing in the UK with Ebay's "global shipping program".
I was victim to this. The item was a horsehair sporran. Horsehair sporrans are posted from the UK to the US every day without problem.

The scam is that an unknown somebody at the UK "global shipping" facility declares that a package contains a "restricted item". The buyer is refunded but the seller is not. The seller is told that the package has been "destroyed" but in fact the package is sold at an auction of packages that are claimed to be "undeliverable" due to not being properly addressed (which isn't true).

This is how it came to pass that I got refunded for the horsehair sporran I bought from a seller in England, then the same sporran reappeared on Ebay a couple months later being sold by a different English seller.

So don't be surprised if that sporran that Ebay refunded you shows up again!

[Troglodyte]

I have bid unsuccessfully on several sporrans so was surprised when a relatively low bid by my history scored a nice looking sporran from a charity auction in England. Then I get an email from eBay saying it was a restricted item and they would be refunding my payments. Apparently it was seal. Now I am reluctant to bid on sporrans which don't identify the materials. Any guidance on identifying the animal involved?

US regulations governing the import of certain materials - specifically furs - have become problematic for legitimate makers and sellers of sporrans in the UK. The American market for traditional sealskin sporrans is closed.

Some of the UK sporran makers have their own specific US ranges - the same sporrans, but with different furs, such as bovine (often calf) or pony. These are still readily available.

But 'banned' sporrans that made it to the USA before the restrictions were in place often come up for sale on eBay in the USA and reasonable prices, so these are the ones to watch-out for. And sometimes you can be exceptionally lucky.

Sporrans listed on eBay.uk are not restricted, but their sale to the USA is (because of the fur ban) and this will be behind eBay's cancellation of your purchase.

As I understand the US Customs restrictions, you are free to enter the US if the import-restrited item is your own personal posession and for your own use - ie, not for selling-on. So, I believe it is posible to buy a 'banned' fur sporran in Canada and return with it to the USA without difficulty - I've known some to do just this with no problem.

Many eBay sellers have no idea what fur a sporran may be made from, and some get round the restrictions by describing it as 'faux' - but this requires US Customs to take the seller at their word.

[OC Richard]

About the four lots of ex-hire sporrans, one lot, the one with the nicest cantles, is gone.

Somebody must have made an offer.

[Troglodyte]

You bring up a complicated topic that needs to be addressed as three separate issues.

First is that sealskin is illegal to import into the USA, or be sold within US borders, since 1972 (the Marine Mammal Protection Act).
In spite of this many people have purchased seal sporrans from outwith the US which have come through without being caught.

Besides that, Pakistani firms make seal sporrans by the hundreds and ship them into the US all the time. To see how common it is, search Ebay for "seal sporran" and restrict your search to "US only". You'll see a number of sellers in the US offering seal sporrans made in Pakistan.

If you want a Scottish-made seal sporran the safest way is to buy one already within US borders, which do come up on Ebay fairly often.

Secondly, how does one identify a sealskin sporran?
It just comes down to familiarity. Sealskin has an unmistakable look and feel in person, and it's easy to spot IF the Ebay seller posts clear enough photos.

Starting in 1972 Scottish makers like WE Scott & Son began using "bovine" and "pony" as seal substitutes for the US market. These have the short hair of seal but not the almost metallic sheen that seal has. Another distinctive thing is colour: seal often has a subtle greenish tint that bovine and pony never have AFAIK.

One way NOT to identify seal is by Ebay sellers' descriptions. They misidentify fur (and metal) more often than they get it right.

One thing to be aware of is that there was a short-lived fad for artificial fur around the late 1950s and early 1960s (I haven't been able to pin down the exact timings.) This fur wasn't considered a cheap alternative, in fact it was at least as expensive as real fur. WE Scott & Son made a large number of sporrans around that time in the same dingy white artificial fur. Once again, seeing and handling these sporrans in person is the best way to identify them in Ebay photos.

Third, there's a scam that's been ongoing in the UK with Ebay's "global shipping program".
I was victim to this. The item was a horsehair sporran. Horsehair sporrans are posted from the UK to the US every day without problem.

The scam is that an unknown somebody at the UK "global shipping" facility declares that a package contains a "restricted item". The buyer is refunded but the seller is not. The seller is told that the package has been "destroyed" but in fact the package is sold at an auction of packages that are claimed to be "undeliverable" due to not being properly addressed (which isn't true).

This is how it came to pass that I got refunded for the horsehair sporran I bought from a seller in England, then the same sporran reappeared on Ebay a couple months later being sold by a different English seller.

So don't be surprised if that sporran that Ebay refunded you shows up again!

What is astonishing about this, is that the scam has been exposed and reported in the national papers and on TV on more than one occasion, but that eBay seems to have no inclination to do anything about it.

Well, why would they? They lose out in no way, so it makes me wonder if the scam is more of a corporate culture, with many workers involed, than just one or two rogue employees.