Quote Originally Posted by MacMullen
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1. What does it look like when it's open? Is the cantle hinged, like a purse opening, or is it only one piece? A picture would be helpful.
It opens like a bellows. The cantle is stitched to the front panel, and the back panel fits snugly under it when closed. The two panels are connected together by a soft leather gusset. The front is secured to the back with a tongue and snap. The front and back panels are usually made with stiff (or stiff leather as a stiffener for fur) - say, 2mm.
2. Does a dress sporran usually have a lining (satin or something similar)?
Yes. Mostly skiver (thin sheep or goat skin) is used, but anything that takes your fancy would do. It's just to give it a more finished effect and hide the stitches of the strap assembly at the back and the popper of the snap.
3. Does a fur sporran need a cantle, or, if not, does it have to have a mask (i.e., full animal head)?
No, and yes - but the cantle doesn't have to be metal: you can make a fairly effective one out of thick leather (again, about 2mm substance would do - American russet is good, and comes even thicker (3mm-3.5mm) and has the advantage of being easily cased and tooled)
4. Does a dress sporran have to be white to be appropriate for formal wear, or can it be black?
It can be any colour that looks good.
I'm thinking that I'd like to use a skunk pelt, not so much for the humor factor, but because I think it would look nice. Although humor also would be a factor,as well as interesting...
Good choice - a bit like the traditional badger.
Other pelt possibilities would be a coyote,...
I suppose that would work a bit like (a big) fox.

Margaret Morrison and Janet Eagleton both use Clanart (Bulldog Buckle Co Ltd of Taunton, Somerset, UK - www.bulldogbuckle.com) as well as other suppliers. Bulldog sell the cantles, with variable tops and bosses, (and the screws for fitting) complete at about £35.

Craigie make their own cantles out of leather (which can be fun).

Apart from the personal satisfaction, you'll be spending about 50 percent of the retail cost if you make a dress sporran yourself. My materials costs for a dress sporran (before factoring in labour etc) are about £60.

There are two pix of dress sporrans on my photobucket site:
<img src="http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b211/macshealbhaich/type1.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">
<img src="http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b211/macshealbhaich/type2.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">