Quality Sporrans for less money

[JPS]

I'm going to put this out there, in hopes that someone can confirm what I suspect. This appears to be a Scottish-made sporran, though there are no markings, and the seller doesn't recall where it's from. He puts the age at around 10 years. Looking through the catalogs that OC Richard has posted, it looks like a good example of the GTSF design, though with the more common flap and plain front that he noted doesn't show up in the usual sales materials. It doesn't look like any style I've seen Pakistani makers trying to replicate.

What's the rabble think? If this is the real deal, I'm going to bite immediately.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124771791469

[Anisha112]

So here is the sporran I purchased from the e . bay listing from OCRichard's original post two years ago. Put on your sunglasses, it was evening but I got those lily white legs. Only thing that might save them is I have dark hair!

I ended up at $90USD including shipping. The original listing described it as horsehair but according to L&M (https://www.landmhighland.ca/product...dress-sporran/) it is calf with badger fur tassels. I was aware of the difference at the time of bidding. Either way it is very soft The chain is much more substantial than my other sporrans (one likely pakistani and the other made in Scotland) as is the leather portion of the strap. The seller was rhea 2013 and I was very pleased with the transaction.

So a very belated thank you to OCRichard!

I like your look, everything looks very harmonious!

[Wingnut037]

Here's a very nice vintage sporran, seal, with an engraved silver (German silver?) cantle.

Nice find! They accepted my offer and it should be on the way shortly.

[OC Richard]

What's the rabble think? If this is the real deal, I'm going to bite immediately.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124771791469

That's a tricky one, because it looks like a quality sporran, yet doesn't quite fit any of the old standard styles (from W E Scott etc) and lacks a maker's stamp.

The style does look vaguely familiar, let me look at some catalogues.

EDIT: the way it's stitched across the top of the flap reminds me of many of the Forsyth sporrans, though my Forsyth catalogues don't show that particular style. In any case it has a traditional look to it.

[OC Richard]

Nice find! They accepted my offer and it should be on the way shortly.

Yay!! It's gorgeous.

[JPS]

That's a tricky one, because it looks like a quality sporran, yet doesn't quite fit any of the old standard styles (from W E Scott etc) and lacks a maker's stamp.

The style does look vaguely familiar, let me look at some catalogues.

EDIT: the way it's stitched across the top of the flap reminds me of many of the Forsyth sporrans, though my Forsyth catalogues don't show that particular style. In any case it has a traditional look to it.

That's my dilemma, as well, no markings. The seller says he bought it about 12 years ago, and he thinks it was UK made, but he doesn't remember.

It reminds me a lot of this, from W.E. Scott, though they don't make it in brown. Maybe they, or a predecessor, did at one time?

Then again, I may be trying to see something that isn't there.
o45ku6.jpg zT4Quk.png

[ShaunMaxwell]

That's my dilemma, as well, no markings. The seller says he bought it about 12 years ago, and he thinks it was UK made, but he doesn't remember.

It reminds me a lot of this, from W.E. Scott, though they don't make it in brown. Maybe they, or a predecessor, did at one time?

Then again, I may be trying to see something that isn't there.
o45ku6.jpg zT4Quk.png

Looks much like my very first sporran, which I purchased on ebay:





Mine was very inexpensive ($25 or less), and almost certainly from Pakistan or some such as there's no maker's mark.

I'm not a big fan of this style, as I find that the stitched-down flap makes it a bit difficult to access the sporran's contents. It's also not a particularly roomy sporran.

Caveat emptor and all that...

Cheers,

SM

[OC Richard]

o45ku6.jpg zT4Quk.png

It's an interesting and uncommon flap shape, not one that W E Scott used as far as I know, and not quite like any of the Forsyth ones I've seen, or any other maker that I can recall.

Yet I've seen that flap design somewhere.

EDIT: I've just looked through all my photos of vintage and newer leather sporrans and I can't find that exact flap shape anywhere.

The one I was probably remembering, though it's different as you can see, was the style called TT by WE Scott and several other makers. Still, I know I've seen the flap shape on that Ebay sporran somewhere!

[JPS]

It's an interesting and uncommon flap shape, not one that W E Scott used as far as I know, and not quite like any of the Forsyth ones I've seen, or any other maker that I can recall.

Yet I've seen that flap design somewhere.

EDIT: I've just looked through all my photos of vintage and newer leather sporrans and I can't find that exact flap shape anywhere.

The one I was probably remembering, though it's different as you can see, was the style called TT by WE Scott and several other makers. Still, I know I've seen the flap shape on that Ebay sporran somewhere!

It's puzzling. I guess the simplest explanation is that the seller remembers incorrectly, and he bought it from a Pakistani seller, or it's much older than he thinks, but do you see a similarity between the two pictures I posted? The one on the left is the current W.E. Scott GTSF, and the one on the right is the EBay sporran.

I'm not a big fan of this style, as I find that the stitched-down flap makes it a bit difficult to access the sporran's contents. It's also not a particularly roomy sporran.

Caveat emptor and all that...

Cheers,

SM

I really appreciate that info, both about the potential provenance of the sporran, and about its practical qualities. Caveat emptor is a powerful word.

[JPS]

Here's a rabbit fur day sporran in nice condition with chrome bell tassels. "smells like moth balls" but hopefully a little fresh air and cedar will help that.