Quality Sporrans for less money

[OC Richard]

Here's a WE Scott Edinburgh seal Evening sporran (EW2) with high-quality cantle for under $40.

Interesting how the further you go back in time the nicer the WE Scott sporrans are.

Sad that it's missing a tassel and the seal has seen better days.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/14654209334...Bk9SR-6y7JHOZQ

[OC Richard]

Wow this is one of those goofy things that show up on Ebay from time to time: sporrans which have been cobbled together from random military and/or civilian bits and being sold as something they aren't.

This is being sold as a "Black Watch sporran" while clearly it isn't.

The body is a traditional Cameron Highlanders sporran made by Leckie Graham in 1924. It's wonderful how they stamped dates on their sporrans!

For those into military sporran history this style of Cameron sporran is, AFAIK, the earliest military (non-pipers) sporran to have two long tassels.



All five post-1809 kilted Scottish Highland regiments wore sporrans with either five, or six, short tassels



until the 79th sporran at top appeared, around 1850, as a 79th Foot officers' undress sporran. Later it spread to Sergeants and Other Ranks as their only sporran. (The 78th followed suit with two long tassels around 1870, the 92nd around 1880.)

Back to the Ebay sporran, the cantle is the Black Watch part- well, sort of, it has a Black Watch collar badge on it. The Cameron sporrans had plain black leather cantles. This is the chrome-plated cantle that was introduced in 1968 with the new short horsehair universal sporran for all kilted Scottish Highland regiments. Note how much larger the BW sporran badge is than the collar badge on the Ebay sporran.



The Ebay listing:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/29725041666...Bk9SR5a-ibjPZQ

[jsrnephdoc]

I'm only 5'5" tall. It looks as though most of your new pics feature sporrans that might do battle with my ANKLES!

On the other hand, today's email brings me an email announcement from a U.S. Retailer called "Unique." The stuff is dirt cheap (in price), and some of it doesn't LOOK awful. I suspect the sporran offerings are cobbled together from interchangeable parts and fake fur. I'm posting a listing of one of them, which features FIVE short tassels. I'd thought 3 were standard, but then I'm unaware of any specific significance regarding the number of tassels.

It actually looks as though I could wear this and not attract knowing derision unless it falls apart…

https://www.ebay.com/itm/33551652558...5581&recoPos=2

[OC Richard]

I'm only 5'5" tall. It looks as though most of your new pics feature sporrans that might do battle with my ANKLES!

Like this?

[OC Richard]

a U.S. Retailer called "Unique." The stuff is dirt cheap (in price)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/33551652558...5581&recoPos=2

That's standard Sialkot fare, sporrans made in Pakistan. The fur is real coyote and real sealskin. I bought a seal one to see.

What amazes me is how they can import and sell sealskin sporrans in complete violation of US law (the Marine Mammal Protection Act).

And just a few weeks ago at a local Highland Games there was a shop with all the usual Sialkot kilts, sporrans, hose, etc who had several sealskin sporrans.

[jsrnephdoc]

That's standard Sialkot fare, sporrans made in Pakistan. The fur is real coyote and real sealskin. I bought a seal one to see.

What amazes me is how they can import and sell sealskin sporrans in complete violation of US law (the Marine Mammal Protection Act).

And just a few weeks ago at a local Highland Games there was a shop with all the usual Sialkot kilts, sporrans, hose, etc who had several sealskin sporrans.

So, that generates two questions:

1. Do I need to feel guilty buying that sporran?
2. Is it the case that someone else accustomed to wearing a kilt appropriately would not be offended if I showed up wearing a kilt with that sporran

(OK, 3 questions): is there anything amiss wearing a dress sporran with 5 tassels?).

Thanks again. Oh, I guess it all makes one wonder if there are seals in Pakistan.

Also makes one wonder, given that the Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo generally features performers from everywhere the sun used never to set:

If a Pakistani Pipes and Drums Corps showed up on the Esplanade, would they be wearing knockoff dress and playing knockoff pipes, or would they go shopping at Kinloch Anderson before their performance?

[OC Richard]

If a Pakistani Pipes and Drums Corps showed up on the Esplanade, would they be wearing knockoff dress and playing knockoff pipes, or would they go shopping at Kinloch Anderson before their performance?

They do have their own distinctive dress.

Here's a band from Pakistan, their pipes might be locally made https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82sEjyAVhoA

On the other hand, the Royal Army of Oman fields a quite good pipe band, they appear to be playing high-quality Scottish-made pipes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqr_Hi8ua78

[OC Richard]

A bit pricier than our brief, $65, but still a large bargain, a Nicoll Brothers Bankfoot black Evening sporran

https://www.ebay.com/itm/22673029091...102140.m167418

[OC Richard]

Really nice traditional plain brown Day sporran, $20.

The star of the show however is the beautiful long-link chain strap, which will drive the bidding up.

Looks to be by Nicoll Brothers.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/26724341974...Bk9SR6a24bXVZQ

[OC Richard]

Nice older WE Scott seal evening sporran with silverplate top.

Within US borders, $120.

It has the scribe-line across the back, an original feature of their 1953 Patent sporrans which was eventually dropped.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/39658444300...tedSearch=true