Dress sporran or junk?

**David Thornton** · 17th November 05, 07:21 PM

Opinions please.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Sporran-MADE-IN-...QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sporran-MADE-IN-...QQcmdZViewItem

**Blu (Ontario)** · 17th November 05, 07:31 PM

They look OK by the photos... and the price is quite good for a dress sporran. Are you concerned that there is something wrong with them?

**The Wizard of BC** · 17th November 05, 07:34 PM

Please be aware that the fur covering on this is sealskin. This product is not to be imported into the US.

There could be VERY serious fines and repercussions if you win a bid on this.

By US law there should be a warning and disclaimer on this ad.

**David Thornton** · 17th November 05, 07:35 PM

A little concerned about the collection, can't enlarge the pic enough to get good detail. Mainly just curious about the single one.
David

**David Thornton** · 17th November 05, 07:37 PM

Wiz, I asked the seller that, said he had shipped 4 here already.

**bubba** · 17th November 05, 07:45 PM

David, he may well have, but if it gets picked up in customs it isn't his *** in trouble. It's illegal to import any product made with sealskin, period.

**KiltedCodeWarrior** · 17th November 05, 08:02 PM

David,

Given the low number of feedback posts for this seller, I would have to recommend following Caveat Emptor in this purchase. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And Steve has a point about the importing of sealskin to the US. I don't know the laws or restrictions, but you would be doing yourself a favor to find out. This seller may have shipped 4 of these to the US, but they does not address whether is was legal to do so, and the seller is out nothing if customs impounds your shipment.

Food for thought.

**Steeplechase** · 17th November 05, 08:16 PM

There is no shortage of people, who will gladly take your money to attempt to ship illegal products into the country. I work for an agency that through co-operation with customs has a whole box of confiscated material that we use for educational purposes.

**Archangel** · 17th November 05, 08:30 PM

I find that a high price and we haven't begun to count duty yet. You can do better in NA.
Other established retailers do point out the sealskin issue so it is real.

**Blu (Ontario)** · 17th November 05, 09:02 PM

Whew!... I completely missed the sealskin issue.

(I guessing white leopard or lynx sporrans would be a no-no as well.)

**chasem** · 17th November 05, 09:13 PM

Yes, as the others have said, Sealskin is bad.

However... I vacationed in Anchorage over the summer. The native Alaskans (Eskimos and such) are legally allowed to continue living as their ancestors did. In other words, they are legally allowed to hunt whales, seal, and such.

They are also allowed to craft items from seal skin and sell them to tourists. (I almost bought a seal skin thimble, just because it was seal skin.) I'm pretty sure there is a limit set on the amount and such. I'm not sure what it is exactly though.

Anyway, my point is that it may be possible to obtain a seal-skin dress sporran if you could pull some connections with the natives. Again, I'm not sure whether or not it would be possible for sure, but it's a thought, but if you're willing to go to those lengths it might be worth a shot

**Bob C** · 17th November 05, 09:29 PM

There's good advice in this thread. Don't take a chance on an illegal seal skin sporran.

Besides, those prices are hardly outstanding.

**switchblade5984** · 17th November 05, 10:08 PM

yeah go overseas and get one! :P

**Robin** · 18th November 05, 02:12 AM

I gave it a try....

£75...countdown started 8)

Wish me luck :rolleyes:

**Robin** · 18th November 05, 06:08 AM

It's mine!

Payed £75...that's about 50% of the normal price...very nice!

(they have many more if others are interested btw)

Thanks for the link!

**Hamish** · 18th November 05, 10:03 AM

This supplier looks very much to me as if it is a trading off-shoot of 'Clan Albanach', the kiltmaker in High Street, South Queensferry (right in the shadow of the famous Forth Rail Bridge). The village is so small that I cannot imagine there is more than one Highland Dress retailer there! I have been to their small shop on two separate occasions, and both times the shop was shut!

Not having been inside, I cannot advise on the quality of their merchandise - sorry - nor is their website all that helpful or informative:-

http://www.clan-albanach.com/main.html

**bikercelt1** · 18th November 05, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by chasem

Yes, as the others have said, Sealskin is bad.

However... . The native Alaskans (Eskimos and such) are legally allowed to continue living as their ancestors did. In other words, they are...allowed to craft items from seal skin and sell them to tourists.... Anyway, my point is that it may be possible to obtain a seal-skin dress sporran if you could pull some connections with the natives.

I have an Alaskan friend who is a leather-worker. I asked her about this quite some time ago. According to her, she can legally posses sealskin, and she could legally make me a sealskin sporran that I could legally wear, but it would be hard to document that legal right. If some legal representative wanted to hassle me and she wasn't right to hand with her documentation I'd have a hard time retaining possession of the thing. It's just not worth the trouble it would cause. As to importing sealskin, no way, no how is it legal. It still happens but it's not legally defensible and the penalties are very costly.

Jamie