The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-09-12
Facts About Fars-The ProcesS OF
Misunderstanding About
the Fall STYLES,

From the New York sssr.l
The capital embarked In the fancy fur
trade In this city is immense, New York
| manuCactui crs not only meeting the local
demand, but selling their goods very large.
| ly TO firms both East and West. AS skins
arc sent to market they have generally
been merely dried in the sun or before
a fire, having been first stepped in
| solution of alum. This Is necessary
in order to keep them from mould
ing when packed for transport. The fur
manufactures does not dress his own skins,
as this process, besides being very dirty
work, requires abundant space. The skins
are placed in tubs, together with rancid
butter, and tramplcd upon hy the feet OF
| men. This softcns them and renders them
perfectly pliable. The inner sides are then
rubbed with strips OF iron In order to re.
| move the loose bits of intcgumcnt, and
| they are next trampled with Il mixture oil
sawdust, mahogany being preferred, which
process removes the grease. Finally they
are subjected to beating and combing
They are now ready to be cut up into
things Of beauty, il not "thiugs of joy for.
| ever to the ladies.
| \ fur cutter can never have too much
|! experience.
CUTTING REQUIRES GREAT SKILL
and great care, also excellent Judgment,
| for the skins are never made up naturally,
but from Il great number of skins parts OF
| the same shade arc selected so that each ar.
| ticlc shall present uniform color. In
other cases the article is required to be
striped, and to combine In stripes without
wasting the valuable material is no easy
matter. Russia sable sets are now made up
| Of sable tails cut up in narrow strips and
sewed between braid, which can be seen
| by blowing the fur. The writer was shown
| a mutf in sixty pieces, the price Of which
was 500. Many ladies imagine that the
muftS they buy are in one entire piece, but
only the commonest fur, which is not
worth bothering with, is ever made up in
that way, with the exception oil those
which are dyed. Dyeing greatly improves
toe appearance of the cOmmoncr grades OF
! fur, and, the manufacturers assert, has no
| injurious cilcct--a dyed set lasting us long
rs the undyed.
THE DYBISG
is done with brushes, and is q very nice
piece of work, as only the edges of the lur
must be touched.
The sewing is all done by women. Only
the Innings Of the collars and sacks are
quilted on the machine, all the rest being
hand-Work. In most instances the pay Is
by the piece, and it varies greatly, some
women making excellent wages, while
others have to be content with five dollars
week, and even less.
SOMETHING ABOUT STYLES.
With regard to styles, the principal nov
city is the gored sack, "a to 80 inches long,
and made with and without reUers. The
plain sack will also be worn, but it is not
nearly so graceful. These are made prin-
cipally in seal>kin and Astrakhan. The
sealskin sacks will sell ut retail from $50 to
| Sl25 the AStrakhan, from $50 to So.
White concy sacks are being made up very
largely for children'S wear. Mink is being
| made up into the Elyorite boas, which has
held sway for several years. 4 mink boa
| and mutT can be bought ~ low Us So, but
the liner grades bring SO to S125. The
| imitation mink is made out OF muskrat
skins. The dyed sets sell as high as ST., and
| the common lndI ed sets at s.. There is
ii cheap black -Astrakhan which will
sell rs low rs 81 to SO. Black mar
ten is likely TO be favorite with those
whose purses permit them to 90 little
| higher. Very pretty sets will retail ut SIS.
| However, for young ladies' there is nothing
| SO pretty Us real ermine. A boa and muff,
| or collar. if preferred, sell from $40 to
$50. Uf course there are more costly sets
| lor those who can afford TO be eXtravagaut.
| White cooley, with black spots inserted arc
made in imitation OF tlmlnc. These sell 1T
| 50 il set. For everyday wear squirrel is
| neat and scrviccahlc, and especially for
| schoolgirls, as it wears forever, ana never
| gels soIrd. Good sets bring ST..
! Russia sable cannot he INDUCED in under
| 500 for Il boa and mun. and even then the
set is but inferior. Grcbe feather collars
! and muiIs were introduced last season, and
, are likely TO be much worn the coming
winter. They arc lovcly for lovely women,
hut homcly women should beware OF them.
\ collar and nun will retail at SO TO SIS.