Quality Sporrans for less money

[OC Richard]

In addition to a number of WE Scott "day" and "semi dress" sporrans for under $50 there's a couple Nicoll Brothers seal Evening sporrans which are a huge bargain for those not in the USA.

This one has an FN/D&N cast top

https://www.ebay.com/itm/17670883584...Bk9SR7Da55byZA

Probably likewise, with a possibly aftermarket Black Watch collar badge stuck on

https://www.ebay.com/itm/18681996331...Bk9SR7ba55byZA

[User]

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https://www.ebay.com/itm/18681996331...Bk9SR7ba55byZA

I see a lot of sporrans where the leather is covered with tiny hope depressions. The sporran in that listing shows this on its backside.

I assume that texture is made by stamping, or some similar technique. Is the texturing purely aesthetic, or does it provide a tangible benefit to the leather?

[Troglodyte]

I see a lot of sporrans where the leather is covered with tiny hope depressions. The sporran in that listing shows this on its backside.

I assume that texture is made by stamping, or some similar technique. Is the texturing purely aesthetic, or does it provide a tangible benefit to the leather?

This is a printed (or impressed) texture which is to simulate the hair-growth pattern on pigskin (which is visible on many suedes used in shoe and garment manufacture) as 'hogskin' is given in the old catalogues as the body leather for sporrans. As with deerskin and sealskin, there is a good tradition of using pigskin in sporran-making - it was once very common.

The little dimples or holes are where the individual bristles would once have been, but most mass-produced sporrans of the style shown in the listing are made from a form of compressed fibreboard that is covered with a leather-effect surface. Any leather-look finish is purely decorative.

There is little difference between the fibreboard and real leather at fist glance, and most people never realise they are not the same thing. The diference becomes apparant with aging - real leather takes on a pleasing patina with regular handling, while becoming increasingly supple. The fibreboard remains stiff for ever, but resists wear much better and requires no wax or oil treatment.

You can find photographs of commercial sporran-makers' workshops that show stacks of pre-cut blank panels of this fibreboard on the work-benches. It's a good choice for mass-production of a standard pattern, and gives a superb new finish, but vintage patent W. E. Scott of the 1950s - '60s in real leather often have the genuine bristle-growth dimples.

The one shown in the listing by Nicoll Bros' looks like genuine leather, but is probably cowhide with the hogskin effect added.

For the price, this sporran is excellent value (Nicoll Bros' sporrans were the benchmark quality) and it would be worth buying and exchanging the cantle and tassels. Margaret Morrison use the old Nicoll Bros' patterns and tools, and their current range of fancy cantles would fit the Nicolls' sporran.

[OC Richard]

Yes in old catalogues leather "day" sporrans are usually pigskin/hogskin or buckskin/deerskin.

c1910



c1930



"Hide" by the way means cowhide.

1930s "day" sporrans in colour



At some point they stopped using actual pigskin and used textured and coloured cowhide to simulate the pigskin appearance.

(Black leather "day" sporrans don't appear until the 1970s.)

[User]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge with me, gentlemen. I learn something new every day!

[OC Richard]

Here's the exact opposite of this thread's brief, one of those grab-your-popcorn sporrans.

These late Victorian/Edwardian beauties come up on Ebay so very rarely. 18 bids already.

What's your guess? Will it go for a thousand pounds?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/18682535026...Bk9SR-LHsIX0ZA

[figheadair]

Here's the exact opposite of this thread's brief, one of those grab-your-popcorn sporrans.

These late Victorian/Edwardian beauties come up on Ebay so very rarely. 18 bids already.

What's your guess? Will it go for a thousand pounds?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/18682535026...Bk9SR-LHsIX0ZA

Not silver and not hallmarked, so I'd guess £1500-£1800 but, it all rather depends on who wants it and by how much.

[Troglodyte]

Here's the exact opposite of this thread's brief, one of those grab-your-popcorn sporrans.

These late Victorian/Edwardian beauties come up on Ebay so very rarely. 18 bids already.

What's your guess? Will it go for a thousand pounds?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/18682535026...Bk9SR-LHsIX0ZA

When dealers are attempting to justify the price of an item that has little intrinsic value, they say 'Go and find another.'

I think that is the situation we have here.

Winning bid on this was £2,550 ($3,250us) and is an awful lot for what some might see as only a bit of old leather and white metal. But I think we all agree this sporran is a bit more than just that.

Clearly the winning bidder does too, even though he could probably commission a new replica for half the price, and have hallmarked silver as part of the deal.

But that's not really the point. We all want the genuine, authentic vintage item, so I say 'Well played, that man..!' to the lucky bidder.

Myself, I think the money is better spent on a must-have vintage sporran which can be kept and enjoyed for ever, and by future generations also, than on, say, a few days' tropical cruise which gives you only sunburn and memories.

Ars longa, vita brevis, occasio praeceps, as the Romans used to say...