Quality Sporrans for less money

[OC Richard]

I just picked up a nice semi-vintage brown leather Day sporran on Ebay for under $40 (including tax & shipping).

It has the gold oval Made In Scotland Real Leather stamp, and might be by W E Scott Edinburgh.

I didn't grab the auction photo, but here's the exact style:

[JPS]

I just picked up a nice semi-vintage brown leather Day sporran on Ebay for under $40 (including tax & shipping).

It has the gold oval Made In Scotland Real Leather stamp, and might be by W E Scott Edinburgh.

I didn't grab the auction photo, but here's the exact style:

You got that one! Hope it's as nice in person as it looked in the listing.

[OC Richard]

Yes it is, it looks as if it's never been worn. And I'm intrigued by the stamp, like the usual gold oval MADE IN SCOTLAND REAL LEATHER stamp but just saying MADE IN SCOTLAND. It's stamped both on the back of the sporran and also on the leather strap. I can't recall seeing that gold oval stamp on the leather belt, but then again vintage sporrans rarely come with their original strap.



Not a super bargain, but here's a vintage lovely brown leather Day sporran on Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1153711...search_click=1

It's a standard pattern that goes back to at least 1930. This one is possibly from the 1960s or 1970s. The interesting thing is that in addition to the standard MADE IN SCOTLAND REAL LEATHER stamp it has a TARTAN GIFT SHOPS EDINBURGH stamp.



I have a 1950s-early 1960s catalogue from The Tartan Gift Shop, 96 Princes Street Edinburgh.



It only shows one example of a Day sporran, one without the Celtic knotwork stamp. In this XMarks thread a guy posted that he worked there in 1983 but that it was later sold to Hector Russell.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...talogue-76486/

I Googled 96 Princes Street and today it is indeed Hector Russel, the windows plastered with Closing Down Sale, Relocating signs!

https://www.google.com/maps/place/96...3!4d-3.1990939

In any case that sporran was probably made by W E Scott & Son Edinburgh.

[OC Richard]

Here's what appears to be a quality made in Scotland sporran in good nick for under $30 including post.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/26553653611...ndition=4%7C10

Yes it's missing its tassels but it's quite wearable as it is.

[Tomo]

I Googled 96 Princes Street and today it is indeed Hector Russel, the windows plastered with Closing Down Sale, Relocating signs!

The street view on google maps is from 2019. I think they are long gone from Princes St. I didn't notice them at the weekend, although I did walk past their place on the High Street, which looks to be mainly full of tourist tat these days.

[Miller6582]

Yeah, the Princes street shop closed but they still operate a Hector Russell shop just off of North Bridge/The Royal Mile. They also have a kilt department on the second floor of Romanes & Paterson on Princes Street (Hector Russell are owned by the Edinburgh Wooden Mill Group and Romanes & Paterson is one of their stores). Anyone visiting Edinburgh should also note that Slanj closed their Mary Street Shop late last year and now only have physical shop in Glasgow.

[OC Richard]

Thanks for the information! I've not been to Scotland in several years now.

I've visited Slanj Glasgow but didn't know they had had an Edinburgh location.

[OC Richard]

Not the bargainiest bargain ever, but still well under $100 for a Made In Scotland Evening sporran

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16532921822...ndition=4%7C10

It's the longstanding EW1 cantle and stamped Made In Scotland on the side.

Goes to show that Scottish-made sporrans aren't always stamped on the back of the leather body.

It's the sort of Evening sporran that was made for export to the USA after we enacted a ban on seal products.