Quality Sporrans for less money

[OC Richard]

Now for something completely different, a Quality Sporran for MORE Money.

The seller claims it's Mink and Sterling Silver.

I told the seller that they're going to need to show a photo of the silver hallmarks to proceed with that claim.

I sent them a photo showing what the FN or D&N hallmarks look like. Narborough didn't send things out missing the hallmarks.

I also told them that if the cantle is stamped Made In Scotland on one side it's silver plated. It's rare for silverplated Narborough cantles to not have that stamp, though I have seen it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/20534676345...Bk9SR5bNu5exZQ

[Troglodyte]

Now for something completely different, a Quality Sporran for MORE Money.

The seller claims it's Mink and Sterling Silver.

I told the seller that they're going to need to show a photo of the silver hallmarks to proceed with that claim.

I sent them a photo showing what the FN or D&N hallmarks look like. Narborough didn't send things out missing the hallmarks.

I also told them that if the cantle is stamped Made In Scotland on one side it's silver plated. It's rare for silverplated Narborough cantles to not have that stamp, though I have seen it.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/20534676345...Bk9SR5bNu5exZQ

Good luck to the seller with that one..!

Vastly over-priced in my view (by about ten times), but buyer beware, and a fool and his money...

My guess it is silver-plated at best, and mounted on a fairly recent (1990s) Scott-made sporran with very few of their earlier characteristic features.

A fairer price would be less than $100.

[jsrnephdoc]

Now for something completely different, a Quality Sporran for MORE Money.

The seller claims it's Mink and Sterling Silver.

I told the seller that they're going to need to show a photo of the silver hallmarks to proceed with that claim.

I sent them a photo showing what the FN or D&N hallmarks look like. Narborough didn't send things out missing the hallmarks.

I also told them that if the cantle is stamped Made In Scotland on one side it's silver plated. It's rare for silverplated Narborough cantles to not have that stamp, though I have seen it.

Is it "legal" to import mink or ermine sporrans? It wouldn't be "legal" to import either into the presence of my spouse

[MacKenzie]

Is it "legal" to import mink or ermine sporrans?

Go back to post #1032

[jsrnephdoc]

Go back to post #1032

So far as I can tell, that deals solely with seal fur, and implies that no one need worry "much" about getting caught, but I'd rather just make certain I'm compliant. I'm pretty sure that fox fur and rabbit fur are OK, but mink and ermine I'd worry about (but then, I'd have to be desirous of HAVING one, which is probably not the case…

[Flotineer]

Is it "legal" to import mink or ermine sporrans? It wouldn't be "legal" to import either into the presence of my spouse

I don’t know the answer, but It’s already int the US, if that’s where you’re asking about importing to.

[jsrnephdoc]

I don’t know the answer, but It’s already int the US, if that’s where you’re asking about importing to.

It was more of a curiosity question. One possible way of inferring what's legal might be to put a fur sporran in one's online "cart" at a place like Kinloch Anderson, or Nicolson Kiltmakers, or Houston Kiltmakers. If they say "not available for shipment to the US," that might be a clue that importation is forbidden (or would have, in normal times). These days, the "rules" could change 3 times before noon!

[OC Richard]

The US Customs thing is so complicated.

Back in the 1980s I worked at a Highland Outfitter in California and we had to deal with that constantly.

The law might have been changed, but at that time a "wool garment" and a "fringed garment" were separate categories.

The duty was much higher on "fringed garments" so kilts were sent to us with the fringe not pulled out. (I'd have to pull out the fringe when an order of kilts came in, for example 20 for our Pipe Band.)

Anyway, about various creatures that aren't 'sea mammals' I don't know.

[jsrnephdoc]

The US Customs thing is so complicated.

Back in the 1980s I worked at a Highland Outfitter in California and we had to deal with that constantly.

The law might have been changed, but at that time a "wool garment" and a "fringed garment" were separate categories.

The duty was much higher on "fringed garments" so kilts were sent to us with the fringe not pulled out. (I'd have to pull out the fringe when an order of kilts came in, for example 20 for our Pipe Band.)

Anyway, about various creatures that aren't 'sea mammals' I don't know.

I have even LESS understanding of how goods are taxed in the UK for local use or consumption by UK citizens. It appears that the intent is to encourage local industry by NOT charging taxes on goods that are being exported. I'm amazed when I see kilt prices charged to Scottish Citizens much higher than what we in the US have to pay for the same garments.

But, about the white-furred ermine. I've seen one, live, just within the past two months, when I went for my very first Nordic Ski lesson, 15 miles away, 2000 ft up vertically from Bozeman. After my lesson, I was sitting in the public room at the ski center, and my eye was caught by what looked like a tiny self-propelled cocktail cherry flitting across brand new snow. But then I noticed 4 associated bits of black roughly at corners of a rectangle and realized I was looking at a real, live ermine. Enough for me never to employ one as a pocket.

[Tomo]

I have even LESS understanding of how goods are taxed in the UK for local use or consumption by UK citizens. It appears that the intent is to encourage local industry by NOT charging taxes on goods that are being exported. I'm amazed when I see kilt prices charged to Scottish Citizens much higher than what we in the US have to pay for the same garments.

Basically for domestic sales they charge VAT (Value Added Tax). This is a sales tax which I understand is determined on a state by state basis in the US and is not universal e.g NOMAD. Another potential difference is the point at which the tax is applied. In the UK, VAT is added to the sales price and paid by the purchaser, but VAT registered purchasers can offset the VAT they pay on purchased for their business against the VAT they have charged on their own sales and they only account to HMRC (the tax revenue) for the difference.

VAT in the UK is currently calculated on three rates:

Standard Rate 20% on most goods and services

Reduced Rate 5% on some goods and services, e.g. child car seats and home energy

Zero Rate 0% e.g. most food and children's clothes

VAT is not generally charged on exports - so the price for US customers will typically be 20% less than domestic sales - but may be liable for import duties and tariffs which the buyer pays. Exports to the EU are a little more complex and in some cases may include VAT so some care is needed to avoid being hit twice and paying VAT on importation as well.