Kilt-Mart sporran

**Tiny** · 24th November 09, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by The Deil's Chiel

Part of the unseen cost involved in purchasing a cheap Asian imported sporran or kilt is the effect it has on Scotland's economy. Nicoll Brothers, a Scottish sporran maker who had been around since the 1830's was forced to close their doors a couple of years ago due to the fact that the plague of cheap Asian imported sporrans has had a devastating impact on the demand for high-quality, Scottish manufactured goods. The more people buy this foreign crap, the more high quality Scottish owned businesses will suffer, until there are eventually none left, then everyone will have to settle for shoddily-made counterfeits.

As a testament to the enduring quality of true Scottish made goods, I would offer the following example:

Note the silver-mounted sporran worn by the lad on the left in the front row of this circa 1900 photograph:

It's the same one shown being worn by his great nephew 100 years later in this photo:

I will eventually buy a high end sporran, however right now I'm in no position to spend that kind of money. In regards to the high end sporran I get later I am more likely to commission a custom piece made by a local leather worker instead of buying a sporran from Scotland. By hiring a leather worker to make my sporran I can have a true custom piece of art that is exactly what I want and no one will have the same sporran. Also by using a local leather worker I support my local economy.

**Chas** · 24th November 09, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by The Deil's Chiel

As a testament to the enduring quality of true Scottish made goods, I would offer the following example:

Note the silver-mounted sporran worn by the lad on the left in the front row of this circa 1900 photograph:

It's the same one shown being worn by his great nephew 100 years later in this photo:

Sorry, these are not the same sporrans.

The rivets on the targes are different.
The tassels are different.
The length of the tassels are different.
The tassel bells are different.

Regards

Chas

**HighlandMax** · 16th March 10, 03:55 PM

I have purchased a total of 3 sporrans from KiltMart, and am pleased with all 3 of them. I agree with some of you about the high cost a sporran sales for at other kilt stores. I also have one from StillWater, another good one at a reasonable cost.
However, if you should buy kilt hose from kiltmart, beware. I know the old saying that you get what you pay for, I had bought a pair of black kilt hose for $ 8.00. Put them on, and they came no higher up my legs than a plain pair of socks. Since they were only $8.00 I kept them, but if I had paid more, I would have returned them. I e-mailed kiltmart and let them know that the hose appeared to be for a child and not an adult. I got no reply from them. However, I will continue to do buisiness with them, but not anymore hose.

**Tiny** · 20th June 10, 11:41 PM

I figured I should do an update on this review. The sporran still looks about the same as when I bought it. its got some wear marks inside from over loading it, and some light scuffing on the front from where I bump it into things while I'm at work. all in all its been a good sporran. The only issue I now find myself with is the other day I caught it on the edge of a counter at work and heard a pop. one of the rivits on the back, that help hold the sporran strap loop on, pulled through the leather. Now the sporran hangs a lil crooked but not terrible.

I'd say for a cheap sporran I got some good use out of it as I wore this sporran everyday since it arrived. I just won an auction on eBay for a black and white cow hide sporran which should show up soon. I'll be saving a few more coins and investing in a Buzz Kidder soon but I think I'll stick with my cheap SWK sporran for at work.

**Bugbear** · 24th November 09, 12:23 AM

Oh, ok, it is the L and M sporran. There's so many sporrans at the STM, I wasn't sure which was which.

I hadn't heard much about KiltMart sense they joined the forum as an advertizer. It's kind of a local store.

**thescot** · 7th January 10, 01:20 PM

Whether the two princes are actually wearing the same sporran or not--I have trouble believing that the tassels shrunk that much--the fact is, it could be the same. I'm sure the quality is that good.

But then, who cares? Well, some do and some don't. Some only purchase bespoke clothing while others do Walmart only. It really is a matter of choice, priorities and the weight of one's purse.

I like good stuff, but I haven't gone the $250 route on a sporran . . .yet. (I tried to commission one from Janet Eagleton, but she is having some difficulty with her mum, so I didn't hear back.) However, I do have a really nice casual elk hide Rob Roy style I bought at the Stone Mountain Games 10 years ago that cost about $100 back then. (What was I thinkin'?)

It's all a matter of what you want. Businesses come and go, styles change, and there is every reason to expect that. C'est la vie, c'est la guerre. One should consider that buying a product from anywhere--Scotland, Pakistan, or the US--means you aren't buying it from elsewhere--Scotland, Pakistan, or the US. So if I buy something from Scotland, I 'm "depriving" a Pakistani or American of his income in some way.

Not really. I'm just making a choice. I like Scottish made products--high quality (usually) and good style--but I'm not tied to it either. I'd just as soon have a quality leather product from CavScout as anyone else, in fact, I'd rather since I know him, like him, and he makes really fine stuff.

But you know--I have one of those $23 sporrans just like Tiny's, and I like it, too.

**Tobus** · 7th January 10, 01:50 PM

Whether the two princes are actually wearing the same sporran or not--I have trouble believing that the tassels shrunk that much--the fact is, it could be the same.

It's possible that the tassels got replaced with new ones, and it is indeed the same sporran.

Tassels are usually going to be the first thing to go on any leather item. They get worn or dry out (because they don't get oiled or cared for like the rest of the piece), they get pulled on or caught on things over time, etc.

**thescot** · 7th January 10, 01:59 PM

[QUOTE=Tobus;839971]It's possible that the tassels got replaced with new ones, and it is indeed the same sporran.

. . .QUOTE]

Whew. Glad that's settled.

**Tobus** · 7th January 10, 02:37 PM

I'm helpful that way.

*edited to add:

I just want to clarify my statement. It may have been misinterpreted. What I mean is that it's possible that it's the same sporran with replacement (shorter) tassels. I wasn't saying that it was definitely the same sporran.

**ForresterModern** · 7th January 10, 06:14 PM

I get the feeling that it is the same sporran with shorter tassels, possibly becasue one or more of them may have been damaged over the years, and in repairing one by making it shorter with the same piece of original leather, the leatherworker decided it would look better if they all were still the same length, and shortened the remaining ones to match. Or maybe the prince (Charles of today) saw the pictures of it on his relative, liked it so much that he had a nearly identical one made for himself. I bet the former is more likely.