Quality Sporrans for less money

[OC Richard]

I just picked up this sporran on Ebay for $65. It's within the USA.



I've seen a very small number of these cantles, which have every appearance of having been made by Frederick Narborough (Birmingham) which became Dalman & Narborough in 1962.

The FN and D&N hallmarks are very familiar to pipers due to this firm making mounts in identical style and patterns for Highland bagpipes.

Generally, on bagpipes, these mounts are flat. Less often one sees the mounts done like this cantle, repousse, with the Runic bosses punched out from behind for a 3D effect. Even less often does one see the thistles given the repousse treatment as seen with this cantle.

I can't recall seeing FN or D&N bagpipe mounts that mix the Runic and Thistle designs like that- bagpipes mounts are one or the other. There's a third pattern, Zoomorphic, that FN and D&N made.

For comparison, here's a silver & ivory bagpipe with FN Runic repousse mounts.



This is a set of silver & ivory bagpipes made in 1959 by R G Hardie, Glasgow, with FN thistle mounts.

[Tomo]

I just picked up this sporran on Ebay for $65.

And very nice it is too - the cantle is great and I love the long-link chain.

A modern version of the chain alone from Margaret Morrison will set you back pretty much what you paid for the sporran!!

[KennethSime]

Another excellent deal, Richard. That Sporran looks great.

[OC Richard]

Thanks! I'm anxious to get it in my hands for a better look.

Here's a Nicoll Brothers Bankfoot brown leather/seal front Day sporran, in the USA, under $50 free shipping.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nicoll-Bros...kAAOSwYgBgaJQ-

Looks like the fur has seen better days, though the leather looks like new.

[MurrayInGA]

Thanks! I'm anxious to get it in my hands for a better look.

Here's a Nicoll Brothers Bankfoot brown leather/seal front Day sporran, in the USA, under $50 free shipping.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nicoll-Bros...kAAOSwYgBgaJQ-

Looks like the fur has seen better days, though the leather looks like new.

Thanks for sharing. That’s very much my style and have been on the lookout for a better sporran for some time. Will try to snag it.

[OC Richard]

This is exceedingly strange!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16483131265...ndition=4%7C10

It's common on Ebay to see vintage sporrans with goofy aftermarket alterations. It can be an entertaining exercise to try to figure out what a sporran might have originally been, and what was done to it by some previous owner.

This is a Nicoll Brothers horsehair sporran.

First off you can see that it's in practically new condition.

Notice that it originally had tassels, now missing.

Oddest of all is the leather front. I've not seen one like that from Nicoll Bros or anyone else. Had it been original to the sporran the brown leather would almost certainly had some shape to it, and certainly had a finished bottom edge, probably with a row of stitching, or a groove going along the edge.

If you look closely, where the brown leather goes under the rim, you can see the leather is a bit uneven and rough.

Obviously something looking like that wouldn't have been done in the Nicoll Bros shop.

Almost certainly the sporran would have looked something like this originally (though this one is in less-than-pristine condition, with smashed cones)

[OC Richard]

Classic brown leather Day Dress sporran, great condition, with the gold oval Made In Scotland Real Leather stamp.

Under $50 including shipping.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/27477444866...ndition=4%7C10