Thoughts on selling pre-ban seal sporrans?

[Piobair]

I have some vintage/antique sporrans in my collection that I suspect are seal. I was thinking about selling a Prince Charlie style one that is too nice for my purposes, but wasn't sure if I needed a CITES for domestic transfers. I'm an attorney, but this is really out of my area of practice. Anyone have any experience with this? The closest I've come has been with a few sets of pipes with elephant ivory mounts, but that's about it. Thanks!

[RockyR]

can you post a close up pic of the fur?

[TheOfficialBren]

I know nothing about the background behind the ban or sale of sealskin merchandise in the US but would like to learn more about it. I have wondered about it since sealskin seems to be legal elsewhere.

Sorry to intrude if I have.

[madmacs]

I know nothing about the background behind the ban or sale of sealskin merchandise in the US but would like to learn more about it. I have wondered about it since sealskin seems to be legal elsewhere.

Sorry to intrude if I have.

I thought the EU banned seal skin products in 2009/2010

[WillowEstate]

Yes, the EU banned trade in seal products in May, 2009 after a long campaign against the bludgeoning of seal pups in Canada. There are bans in many other countries, including Russia, some other former USSR countries, the USA and Mexico and they are covered by a general animal product ban in Australia.

This link to the PETA organization has some additional background. WARNING, contains graphic images of slaughtered seals.

http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/a...n/default.aspx

As far as selling pre-ban seal products is concerned, I would think it would be wise to have full documentation of the origin of the products, though that seems somewhat unlikely from before the bans. Presumably, your sporran could still be sold in Canada or one of the other half dozen seal hunting countries?

[artificer]

I'm not a lawyer so this advice is worth exactly what it's costing you

If it's pre-ban and you're selling it inside the US you SHOULD be okay- CITES is an international treaty and unless you're crossing an international border it shouldn't come into play.

From their website:

"CITES works by subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls. All import, export, re-export and introduction from the sea of species covered by the Convention has to be authorized through a licensing system. Each Party to the Convention must designate one or more Management Authorities in charge of administering that licensing system and one or more Scientific Authorities to advise them on the effects of trade on the status of the species."

If you have an (obviously) old picture of you wearing it I'd include that in the sale if you don't have original documentation. It would at least HELP minimize any problems a potential buyer may have.
The same can be said for a signed (and ideally notarized) letter from you stating the provenance.

I prefer USPS to either FedEx or UPS for shipping.

ith:

[Piobair]

Hi Rocky - here's a pic:



Based on what I know about it and the construction, I'm guessing 50s. It has a Made in Scotland stamp, but I couldn't find a maker mark (although I realize how rare they are). I don't have documentation, but I was thinking about getting an expert appraisal, as that seems to satisfy the powers that be in terms backing up undocumented provenance.

I might just wind up keeping it. The style is definitely getting hard to find, and I suspect that the enthusiasm for vintage/unusual sporrans is going to keep it that way.

[Piobair]

The plot thickens. Just found this on the MacK/Frain site:



Now I'm really confused.

[artificer]

Well, it's definitely seal.

Did you check the interior for a maker's mark? Perhaps under the flap?

Of course if it was made wholesale for another vendor the original maker might not have marked it apart from "Made in Scotland".

ith:

[Spartan Tartan]

Personally, I'd keep it. It is pretty nice to know youhave something that old and rare. Plus, it just seems far too difficult to prove it is pre-ban to prevent it from beong confiscated and then gone forever.