Quality Sporrans for less money

**OC Richard** · 8th February 18, 02:56 AM

US buyers need to be on the lookout for the presence of sealskin, which is illegal to import into the USA.

Oftentimes sellers mis-identify sealskin as various other sorts of fur. I think it's just them not knowing.

In any case here's a lovely vintage sporran with the distinctive oval Made In Scotland Real Leather stamp on the back.

As you can see it has a sealskin front. The seller just says "fur". Sporran and shipping under $50 but of course illegal for US buyers.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Lig...oAAOSwiqFad5oS

EDIT: another sealskin sporran (this time so marked) with belt and sgian for under $100 BIN for non-US buyers; under the radar due to the seller listing it as a "sporn"

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sporn-Belt-...sAAOSwoFVae-oV

**OC Richard** · 1st March 18, 04:07 AM

Nearly all the sealskin sporrans that crop up are being sold outwith the USA.

Here's the fairly uncommon instance of a vintage sealskin sporran already within our borders:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Brass-Fur-L...p2056016.l4276

Here's another, but missing one of the tassels. Getting a replacement might be difficult

https://www.ebay.com/itm/A-Real-Scot...p2056016.l4276

**OC Richard** · 6th March 18, 05:40 AM

BUYERS BEWARE DECEPTIVE EBAY LISTING.

It may not be intentional, but an Ebay seller has mixed the photos of a Made In Scotland sporran with an obviously Pakistani made sporran.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16292192945...m=162921929456

Note the first photo, showing the back with the typical oval Made In Scotland Real Leather stamp, is a different sporran than the other photos in the listing, which show a typical rather crudely-made Pakistani sporran.

That first photo is from one of that seller's other auctions. I alerted the seller to the problem.

Here's the other auction the swapped photo is from. This one is a nice Made In Scotland sporran.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Quaility-Fu...cAAOSwJLBalcF~

**Baeau** · 6th March 18, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

Nearly all the sealskin sporrans that crop up are being sold outwith the USA.

Here's the fairly uncommon instance of a vintage sealskin sporran already within our borders:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Brass-Fur-L...p2056016.l4276

Here's another, but missing one of the tassels. Getting a replacement might be difficult

https://www.ebay.com/itm/A-Real-Scot...p2056016.l4276

The second one, seller says, "Deer". Any opinion?

**OC Richard** · 7th March 18, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by Baeau

The second one, seller says, "Deer". Any opinion?

If it's the white fur one with black fur tassels and a black leather targe, those are usually described by the makers as being "pony".

Pony and rabbit are often used as a substitute for sealskin for sporrans shipped to the USA.

**OC Richard** · 22nd March 18, 03:49 AM

This sporran is strange, something in 40 years of looking at hundreds of vintage sporrans I haven't seen before.

The seller has evidently found a cache of vintage bagpipes, bagpipe parts, and associated bits including a number of old sporrans, most in poor condition.

This at one time was a very nice Nicoll Brothers (Bankfoot) sporran. But what has happened to the fur?? I've not seen fur look like that before. Are there any fur experts out there who have seen this? Can it be cleaned?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/J38-VINTAGE...0AAOSwXBVasrgz

This other Evening Dress sporran by the same seller looks to be pony fur, however it's been worn bald in substantial areas. Once again in pretty bad condition.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/J37-VINTAGE...MAAOSwKp1asrgz

**Michael Flemming** · 22nd March 18, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

But what has happened to the fur??

Put away wet would be my guess.

Originally Posted by OC Richard

The seller has evidently found a cache of vintage bagpipes, bagpipe parts, and associated bits

There might be some classic chanters in this lot:

Vintage Bagpipe Parts

Could the one lying on its side be cocus??

**OC Richard** · 9th May 18, 04:05 AM

This brown leather "day" sporran has the typical oval "made in Scotland real leather" gold stamp on the back.

With shipping a bit over $50US. The seller is gerr22222 from whom I have bought a couple nice vintage jackets and sporrans over the years.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mens-vintag...sAAOSwKPxa3efJ

Here's a black leather "day" sporran with pony fur front and evening-style tassels, typical gold oval "made in Scotland real leather" stamp, also a bit over $50US

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Scottish-Br...kAAOSwvAda2WSb

The best bargain going now, a plain brown "day" sporran with stamps I've not seen before. Gold oval stamps, one says "made in Scotland" the other says "kilt shop Aberdeen".

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1960s-Leath...kAAOSwUwla6vU6

**OC Richard** · 9th June 18, 06:47 AM

Originally Posted by Michael Flemming

Could the (chanter) lying on its side be cocus?

If bagpipes or chanters are pre-WWII they're probably cocus or ebony.

If bagpipes or chanters are pre-1900 they're almost certainly cocus or ebony.

African Blackwood wasn't offered by most pipemakers (including Henderson) until around 1900, and even then it was not the norm.

By the 1950s African Blackwood had become standard and pipers nowadays imagine that it was always so.

I don't know how many times pipers have told me that their old pipes are African Blackwood when they're actually cocus or ebony.