Thoughts on selling pre-ban seal sporrans?

[Nathan]

I also vote red fox.

[OC Richard]

It has a very unusual chain attachment in that the chain passes through the backing and attaches to the flap.

That's how my vintage Prince Charlie sporran was made, too, exactly like that.

[artificer]

Since we are on the topic (sort of), I bought this off ebay a little while ago. I have loaned it to my dad for the time being as it was unusual and I am trying to find matching chain to extend it's length.

It has a very unusual chain attachment in that the chain passes through the backing and attaches to the flap. It's also very heavy, thick leather. It was in a sorry state when I got it and I did my best to restore the leather.


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I am curious however as to:

What kind of fur is it?

How old is it?

It doesn't look like fox, which is longer, very fine, slighly fluffy, and with a very distinctive greyish ground hair.
Muskrat is usually a bit more sleek than that, but sometimes fur does odd stuff as it ages.

If I had to guess I'd say that it's probably Scottish (Red) Deer-
The hair appears moderately coarse & without a fluffy ground hair.

That said, it's sometimes difficult to tell without handling it. If it's very soft it's probably not deer.

ith:

[KiltFitz]

It's very soft in fact, only coarse where the fur is slightly dried out. This would be because it had obviously been stored in a damp place and mould got to it, judging by the condition of the leather and the other items it came with. Pretty sure it is not deer, which I have handled before. the middle tassel makes me think fox due to the white tuft.

[artificer]

It's very soft in fact, only coarse where the fur is slightly dried out. This would be because it had obviously been stored in a damp place and mould got to it, judging by the condition of the leather and the other items it came with. Pretty sure it is not deer, which I have handled before. the middle tassel makes me think fox due to the white tuft.

Curious. I agree that the white tuft has a foxy-look to it, but the hair on the sporran itself isn't fleecy-looking enough or long enough for fox (unless the European subspecies is dramatically different from it's N.American cousin).
Maybe Kyle is right and it's Musquash.

ith:

[KiltFitz]

That's how my vintage Prince Charlie sporran was made, too, exactly like that.

This one is really heavy, even without a metal cantle. Is your PC sporran very heavy too? Trying to get an idea of how old it is

[OC Richard]

I don't know how old mine was. I bought it around 1980 and it was probably 20 or so years old then... not really an antique or anything. I sold it a long time ago.

Here's a beautiful example that came up on Ebay a while back

[texasmagpie]

I've a seal sporran I purchased from a great Scottish gentleman in Houston. He was moving "haem" as he put it and was lightening the load...and his American wife hated the thing being in her house. It is very nice. More comfortable and useful than the thick leather sporrans that are the standard "economy" sporran.

Texasmagpie

[creagdhubh]

I don't know how old mine was. I bought it around 1980 and it was probably 20 or so years old then... not really an antique or anything. I sold it a long time ago.

Here's a beautiful example that came up on Ebay a while back

Very smart!

[RockyR]

Curious. I agree that the white tuft has a foxy-look to it, but the hair on the sporran itself isn't fleecy-looking enough or long enough for fox (unless the European subspecies is dramatically different from it's N.American cousin).
Maybe Kyle is right and it's Musquash.

ith:

I'd say the same as Kyle... Musquash OR Nutria.