Quality Sporrans for less money

[OC Richard]

BUYERS BEWARE DECEPTIVE EBAY LISTING.

It may not be intentional, but an Ebay seller has mixed the photos of a Made In Scotland sporran with an obviously Pakistani made sporran.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16292192945...m=162921929456

Note the first photo, showing the back with the typical oval Made In Scotland Real Leather stamp, is a different sporran than the other photos in the listing, which show a typical rather crudely-made Pakistani sporran.

That first photo is from one of that seller's other auctions. I alerted the seller to the problem.

Here's the other auction the swapped photo is from. This one is a nice Made In Scotland sporran.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Quaility-Fu...cAAOSwJLBalcF~

[Baeau]

Nearly all the sealskin sporrans that crop up are being sold outwith the USA.

Here's the fairly uncommon instance of a vintage sealskin sporran already within our borders:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Brass-Fur-L...p2056016.l4276

Here's another, but missing one of the tassels. Getting a replacement might be difficult

https://www.ebay.com/itm/A-Real-Scot...p2056016.l4276

The second one, seller says, "Deer". Any opinion?

[OC Richard]

The second one, seller says, "Deer". Any opinion?

If it's the white fur one with black fur tassels and a black leather targe, those are usually described by the makers as being "pony".

Pony and rabbit are often used as a substitute for sealskin for sporrans shipped to the USA.

[morrison]

My question is, “If I’m wearing my sealskin sporran as I return entry to my home country USA would that be importing sealskin or wearing my clothing? Are they going to ask me at customs what my clothing is made of?” “I can tell them, ‘I was wearing a sporran when I exited the country and now I’m returning home again, still wearing a sporran.’” Do i have to tell them it’s the same sporran or that my other one is in my luggage?
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. . .
Here's a lovely sealskin Evening Dress sporran for around $60. Again I can't see the reverse, yet I strongly believe it's a genuine Scottish-made sporran and not Pakistani. (Note that sealskin cannot be imported into the USA.)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/kilt-sporran...EAAOSwcQlZuatW


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Scottish-Vin...cAAOSwQkZZvbcc

A quality Scottish-made Evening Dress sealskin sporran in great condition for under $100, less that a third of its price new. (Note that sealskin items are illegal to import into the USA.) A great item for those in the UK!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Scottish-Mad...cAAOSwVgtZw4AB

Another seal Evening sporran for those in the UK, this one under $30.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Greenland-Se...YAAOSwEKNZyV8T

A leather and sealskin sporran for a $33 Buy It Now, a UK seller. They don't show the reverse but this looks to me like a quality Scottish-made sporran.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/mens-kilt-sp...8AAOSwuD9Z1J~b

[Highland Logan]

My question is, “If I’m wearing my sealskin sporran as I return entry to my home country USA would that be importing sealskin or wearing my clothing? Are they going to ask me at customs what my clothing is made of?” “I can tell them, ‘I was wearing a sporran when I exited the country and now I’m returning home again, still wearing a sporran.’” Do i have to tell them it’s the same sporran or that my other one is in my luggage?
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You are still still importing, as you purchased it outside the US. It's up to you if you want to lie to border guards. I'm sure the fines and or jail time are not worth the sporran.

Frank

[McMurdo]

My question is, “If I’m wearing my sealskin sporran as I return entry to my home country USA would that be importing sealskin or wearing my clothing? Are they going to ask me at customs what my clothing is made of?” “I can tell them, ‘I was wearing a sporran when I exited the country and now I’m returning home again, still wearing a sporran.’” Do i have to tell them it’s the same sporran or that my other one is in my luggage?
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Read this

https://www.fws.gov/international/la...ction-act.html

[jhughes]

My latest "less money" sporran just arrived. Under $25 and including the strap. It's attributed to the estate of a Lt. of the RHR of Canada.

[kingandrew]

Jhughes,

Your sporran certainly has the appropriate military look. What a great deal for a quality item.

Andrew

[OC Richard]

My latest "less money" sporran just arrived. Under $25 and including the strap. It's attributed to the estate of a Lt. of the RHR of Canada.

If RHR it would have had this badge, as you probably know (a vintage one here)



and as worn (here, in WWII)

[tripleblessed]

My question is, “If I’m wearing my sealskin sporran as I return entry to my home country USA would that be importing sealskin or wearing my clothing? Are they going to ask me at customs what my clothing is made of?” “I can tell them, ‘I was wearing a sporran when I exited the country and now I’m returning home again, still wearing a sporran.’” Do i have to tell them it’s the same sporran or that my other one is in my luggage?
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On one trip to South Africa I was given a necklace made of elephant bone, a traditional item intended to imbue the wearer
with good fortune. At Hartsfield Airport here in Atlanta, customs told me I wasn't allowed to carry ivory and they were confiscating. Encountering quiet but firm resistance, they agreed to call someone more knowledgeable. After a twenty five minute wait, he arrived from another part of the airport. From about thirty feet away, he called out "That's bone, let him through.". He apologized for the delay, then asked if I was willing to give him a few more minutes, and he gathered agents around him and showed them how to spot the differences.

Point being that often it's the less skillful whose blunder gets you in trouble, so caution is appropriate. If you can find out when it was
made, and provide some reasonable assurance that it was made before 1972, you might have no issue. I know someone who has an entire sealskin taken by Aleut hunters in the 40s and brought back to the US. It's legal, but how do you prove it? Does yours have any information about manufacture? Is the manufacturer still in business? Perhaps provenance could be obtained.

And yes, you may be able to slip in with that cover story, or not. If they detect an issue and dig deeper, will they buy ignorance or error on your part, or will there be fines? I'd address all issues beforehand.

Enjoy the use of it.