Quality Sporrans for less money

[kilted2000]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/39414218982...mis&media=COPY

Thought this looked interesting, maybe for a collector.

[kilted2000]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/25561455421...mis&media=COPY

Not really less money, but if the stamp on the back says made in Scotland, might be interesting to someone.

[California Highlander]

Not really less money, but if the stamp on the back says made in Scotland, might be interesting to someone.

Wow, definitely intricate and certainly not cheap! Interesting to see however.

[imrichmond]

I have to say that the intricacy of the design looks distinctively east Asian to me. It reminds me of those very intricate building facades that adorn various Indian cities. Nevertheless, the apparent quality of the leather and the workmanship belie an east Asian origin. An interesting find, but not something I would be inclined to wear.

[OC Richard]

That thing is strange.

A lot of work went into it!

It has some issues with practicality, I would prefer having

1) the back side be smooth and flat
2) an easier-to-use closure system
3) a simple leather tab for a plain leather sporran belt to go through.

Concerning the decoration, to me it has a thing I've often seen in other realms such as Highland pipe making: a new maker picks up some motifs, some visual cues, from traditional pipes but hasn't yet developed a sense of the overarching aesthetic, like learning some phrases in a language but lacking fluency.

If it had ordinary Hunting Sporran style tassels/tabs, a simple practical easy-to-reach closure method, and a plain flat back it would be a cool thing. The broguing is really cool.

[OC Richard]

Usually I don't post things that already have bids, but this isn't often seen, a sporran of a certain creature being sold here in the USA.

It's almost certainly by W E Scott Edinburgh.

It appears to be one of the earlier examples of their new patent sporran closure method, which has become standard practice.

Patent no 714,788 applied for by William Elder Scott on 10 February 1953.

This sporran has the patent stamp near the bottom. We can't see the top stamp but it's probably the typical Made In Scotland Real Leather stamp.

Too bad the fur is badly worn/damaged on one side.

The style was called EW4 in the 1950s-1980s catalogues, and in this case having cones rather than balls on the tassels. These cantles were made in two qualities

1) made in five separate pieces screwed together, silver plated, with Made In Scotland in tiny letters stamped on one side of the cantle. This was the higher quality and had superb detail in the casting.

2) made in two pieces (only the knob was separate) nickel or chrome plated, and lacking the stamp. Examples of this type usually show a bit less crispness of detail.

This is probably the high-quality first type.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Sco...p2056016.l4276

[figheadair]

It's almost certainly by W E Scott Edinburgh.

It appears to be one of the earlier examples of their new patent sporran closure method, which has become standard practice.

Richard,

What about this closure method was new? It appears similar to what Andersons were doing with their hunting sporrans in the 1930's.

[Tomo]

Peter

If it helps this is the abstract (description) of the patent:

714,788. Sporrans. SCOTT, W. E. Feb. 10, 1953 [Feb. 26, 1952], No. 4977/52. Class 133 The edges of the lower parts of the front and back walls of a sporran are connected together by a flexible pleat, the upper parts forming front and back flaps which are operable and securable together in closed position by a fastening which prevents opening of the flaps until the fastening is released. As shown, the front wall A and back wall B are connected by a pleat 14 which widens upwards, a hinged flap 13, formed by a line of weakening 12 in the stiff lining of the back, being housed, in the closed position, under a rearwardly extending flange of a metal frame 9 on the front flap. A knob 19 for engagement with a buttoning strap 20 and rings 22 for attachment of the sporran to a belt are provided. In a modification a knob 10 on the frame 9 acts as a catch for securing the flap 13.



So the patent here is not just for the fastening or metal work, it also includes the hinged flap in the back of the sporran. I guess to provide easier access by making the pouch opening wider. Although, I am not familiar with the earlier Andersons sporrans. This patent covers 2 types of fasting: (i) the leather buttoning strap; or alternatively (ii) the knob on the top of the cantle acting as a catch.

[OC Richard]

Here are six vintage Evening Dress sporran backs.

I think part of the issue was that the old cantles had a partial back plate as you see. One of the purposes of having the back plate was having the pair of rings for attaching a chain strap.

The standard old way, both on long hair sporrans and the post-WWI small seal Evening sporrans, was to have a pocket on the back. These are cramped and difficult to get things into and out of.

Note that the Forsyth sporrans at upper left and lower right do have a larger back opening, but it's still cramped due to the cantle's back plate.

Interesting to see the W E Scott sporran at lower left, with the old-style pocket but a new simplified cantle design that lacks the back plate (and thus requires the double D-ring adapter).

I think Scott put two and two together, the Forsyth opening back with his simpler cantle, and patented it, centre bottom (this particular W E Scott sporran was sold by Hugh MacPherson Edinburgh and St Catherines).

[OC Richard]

Richard,

What about this closure method was new? It appears similar to what Andersons were doing with their hunting sporrans in the 1930's.

Maybe the new part was doing Evening Dress sporrans that way?

Or maybe nothing was really new, but he got the patent anyway.