Quality Sporrans for less money

[Mr stonk]

Couldn't agree more about buying quality local products over cheap foreign imports.
Recently I managed to purchase 2 quality sporrans from eBay and only paid a fraction of the new price.
The first one I bought was a brown leather day sporran made by Nicholl bros of Bankfoot which was new an unused.
I guess the new price would have been over £100 but I managed to pick this little beauty up* for £29.
The second one I purchased was advertised as an unwanted gift and I don't think the seller realised they had a quality item with the bidding starting at just £9.99!
This sporran retails in my local shop for over £180 and I only paid £32 on eBay for it.020190524_192136.jpg

[Mr stonk]

EBay UK, potential sporran bargains.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F223522796344

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F333208332207

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F113759119253

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F192924423762

[Bad Monkey]

just a quick heads up for a decent sporran on the evilbay. Not my style but I thought I'd call attention to it here on the X:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Smi...04c4%7Ciid%3A1

[Mr stonk]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F352684012628

Ok, it's hard to make out from a single image but do you think this is a quality sporran?
Seller is from Aviemore and not some Asian country so I'm thinking this could be a potential bargain?
Item did not sell and has been relisted but would like the forum members opinions before I commit to this..

[McMurdo]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F352684012628

Ok, it's hard to make out from a single image but do you think this is a quality sporran?
Seller is from Aviemore and not some Asian country so I'm thinking this could be a potential bargain?
Item did not sell and has been relisted but would like the forum members opinions before I commit to this..

I would buy it if you are looking for a sealskin dress sporran.

[Mr stonk]

BARGAIN (HOPEFULLY)

Seller accepted best offer and what looks like either a £150 or £200 sporran has been purchased for £28.95 on eBay
I've seen what looks like this sporran advertised online and depending if bovine or sealskin then it can be as much as £200

What I've purchased...

20190607_093328.jpg

What I hope I've purchased

Screenshot_20190606-142625_Samsung Internet.jpg

So how can you tell the difference between bovine or sealskin if there's no info with the sporran?

[OC Richard]

It looks like seal sure enough, Mr Stonk. A very nice find. That cantle is called "D" in the old catalogues, presumably for Diamond. In the old days that was one of the nice silverplated cantles, high-quality castings with crisp detail and usually stamped Made In Scotland on the side.

Here's something I don't see very often: a seal sporran available within the USA. A lovely Made In Scotland sporran, $20 opening bid, not a single bidder.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Seni-Dress-...temCondition=4

Also within the USA, for under $30, what appears to be black mink fur with white (rabbit?) tassels and the "G" cantle, a Made In Scotland sporran at a huge bargain. In the old days this was another of the high-quality silverplated cantles usually stamped Made In Scotland on the side.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Scottish-Ki...temCondition=4

Now here's a like-new sporran by Gaelic Themes Scotland, $10 opening bid, no takers.

I've not seen this style before, it's made like a purse, with one front zippered compartment (concealed under the flap) and two zippers running across the top evidently to access the main compartments. It's odd because Gaelic Themes usually markets themselves to the Pipe Band community, and I can't see a Pipe Band going with a sporran this unusual-looking.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Leather-Spo...temCondition=4

Here are the Evening Dress pages from the standard old trifold sporran catalogue that was used by a number of sporranmakers and retailers for decades. You can see the "G" cantle, with the large plain dome.



Here, centre top, is Mr Stonk's "D" cantle