Quality Sporrans for less money

**OC Richard** · 29th March 20, 04:52 PM

I don't think it's legal to own, merely possible to own.

**Arnot** · 30th March 20, 12:59 AM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

I don't think it's legal to own, merely possible to own.

Got it. Thanks, Richard.

**Bad Monkey** · 30th March 20, 07:52 AM

according to the marine mammals act, it's not illegal to own seal skin products, it's just illegal to buy, trade, sell, or import sealskin items. A while ago a woman had her personal (as in her daily carry) sealskin purse seized at the U.S. border
It's also forbidden to 'take' marine mammals, but I'm assuming that's outside the scope of the thread.

**Brian Rose** · 30th March 20, 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by Bad Monkey

according to the marine mammals act, it's not illegal to own seal skin products, it's just illegal to buy, trade, sell, or import sealskin items. A while ago a woman had her personal (as in her daily carry) sealskin purse seized at the U.S. border
It's also forbidden to 'take' marine mammals, but I'm assuming that's outside the scope of the thread.

As I remember the story, she was a Newfie entering the US at a ground crossing and the bag was seized. I have had items, prohibited in Canada, seized at the border. I could pick them up as I crossed back. As I remember, they'd hold them for 90 days before disposing of the items.
If that's a correct reading of the act, the resale on Ebay would seem to be in violation. I have a small sealskin keyfob, purchased at Hudson Bay Co. store. It was purchased long before the passage of that legislation.

**OC Richard** · 31st March 20, 04:34 AM

Originally Posted by Bad Monkey

according to the marine mammals act, it's not illegal to own seal skin products, it's just illegal to buy, trade, sell, or import sealskin items.

Thanks for the clarification.

I've told on these forums the story of what happened here in the 1990s.

A Highland Dress Outfitter from Scotland opened a US branch shop, and they showed up at one of our California Highland Games with a nice display booth and a whole trailer of merchandise.

Laid out on the display table were 20 or so sealskin sporrans. An American customer was looking at them, and asked the Scottish salesman "are these real sealskin?"

"Oh, aye" said the Scot.

"Do you have any more?"

"Oh, aye, there in the caravan."

Upon which the American produced his badge, and seized all the sporrans.

The ironic thing was when my wife and I were in Scotland in the 1980s we visited a sporranmaker who showed us a closet-full of badger pelts he said were illegal to use. Badgers are protected in Scotland but vermin in North America, while seals are the opposite.

**OC Richard** · 31st March 20, 05:07 AM

Lovely new Evening Dress Made In Scotland sporran, bovine fur so fully legal in the US, for under $100

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dress-Sporr...IAAOSwljVdjzKR

**Crazy Dave** · 31st March 20, 08:52 PM

So do I understand correctly that if I buy a sealskin sporran in the US, as long as I don't try to bring it into the US or sell it, it is the seller's problem not mine. Correct?

Dave

**Bad Monkey** · 31st March 20, 09:14 PM

no. it's illegal to buy, sell, or trade in marine mammal products in the U.S. You would be breaking the law just as much as the seller and subject to the same penalties. What the likelihood of that happening is is up for debate, but it is indeed ilegal.