"Interesting" sporran, dirk, sgian & other items up for auction on November 17th

[Tam Piperson]

I came across a listing for a matched set of vintage accessories including a matching silver-mounted hair sporran, dirk, sgian dubh, plaid brooch, waist and cross belts, and shoe buckles made from .800 silver and mounted with green and red agate and jasper stones. Not my cup of tea, but it is unusual to say the least http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/...ate-and-jasper

[sailortats]

you certainly would stand out in a crowd if you were wearing all of that. I like the brooch but not too sure about the sporran.

[Tobus]

Yeah, some of these items seem a little over the top. Especially if they were all worn together. It's a little much!

Are those two buckles a pair of shoe buckles? Can't say I've ever seen shoe buckles with inset stones.

[Tam Piperson]

Yeah, some of these items seem a little over the top. Especially if they were all worn together. It's a little much!

Are those two buckles a pair of shoe buckles? Can't say I've ever seen shoe buckles with inset stones.

Yes, the two smaller buckles are shoe buckles.

Apparently Scottish pebble jewelry enjoyed some popularity in the late 1800's early 1900's. Here is a page out of a R.W. Forsyth catalog from that period:

[sydnie7]

Object lesson: just because you can do something does not mean you should. . . have seen and admired kilt pins like that, but the full ensemble is too much (in my eyes).

[Chas]

Estimate	$6,000 - $8,000
Starting Bid	$3,000

I think not.

Regards

Chas

[artificer]

I think not.

Regards

Chas

That's a LOT of silver. Considering what the last few silver mounted sporrans have gone for on eBay (£1200-1800) I wouldn't be surprised if this reached the lower end of the estimate.

It's gaudy, to be sure, but there are loads of people with more money than taste

ith:

[Chas]

That's a LOT of silver. Considering what the last few silver mounted sporrans have gone for on eBay (£1200-1800) I wouldn't be surprised if this reached the lower end of the estimate.

It's gaudy, to be sure, but there are loads of people with more money than taste

ith:

Well, the standard in the UK is 925 parts of silver per 1000. This is advertised as 800 parts per 1000. I stand to be corrected, but I don't think that is very good silver. As it stands 1/5th of it is impurities.

But I do agree that some people will buy anything. I just hope this does not become a fashion!

Regards

Chas

[Tobus]

Yes, the two smaller buckles are shoe buckles.

Apparently Scottish pebble jewelry enjoyed some popularity in the late 1800's early 1900's.

Yes, and I've always been fond of the examples I've seen. There's a vendor I see at all the Highland Games who has a case of them. The price is way out of my range, although I might aspire to own one of the plaid brooches one of these days (I would have to come equipped with the knowledge to verify the hallmarks before ponying up that kind of money). I've seen lots of examples of dirk-style kilt pins, brooches, and other small jewelry. I just hadn't seen shoe buckles or sporran cantles in this style before. They are interesting, but not really suited to my taste. I just wonder if these were the only shoe buckles and cantle ever made in this style (making them exceptionally rare) or what...

[Tam Piperson]

Yes, and I've always been fond of the examples I've seen. There's a vendor I see at all the Highland Games who has a case of them. The price is way out of my range, although I might aspire to own one of the plaid brooches one of these days (I would have to come equipped with the knowledge to verify the hallmarks before ponying up that kind of money). I've seen lots of examples of dirk-style kilt pins, brooches, and other small jewelry. I just hadn't seen shoe buckles or sporran cantles in this style before. They are interesting, but not really suited to my taste. I just wonder if these were the only shoe buckles and cantle ever made in this style (making them exceptionally rare) or what...

They aren't my style either, but I thought they were interesting as they were a matched set. It's the first time that I've ever seen anything other than brooches or kilt pins decorated this way myself, which leads me to believe they were probably custom made for a gentleman who wanted to stand out in a crowd, since solid silver mountings and cairngorm stones tended to be commonplace for Highland attire in the late 1800's and early 1900's when these would have been made: