The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-01-27
The Cost Of Fur Garments--.HoW to
Take Care OF Them.

ers report an unusually brisk trade. Fur
borders are among the most popular of
trimmings, while seal sacques and fur
lined garments take precedence of all
other wraps with ladies who can afford
them. The most fashionable fur and the
costliest, with the exception of the Rus
sian sable. is the fine shetland seal. A
long sack of this costs 800 or $500
and is difficult to obtain even at that
price. However, the best Alaska seal
is pretty and fine enough to satisfy any
ordinary woman, and an excellent
sack of this may be had from 500 to
$500. The Alaska seal is far more du-
rable than its costly cousin and will out
last it considerably. The borders seen
on many sacks add much to the cost, a
band of black marten being from fifty
to eighty-five dollars, according to the
width. Chinehilla ranges from $50 to
$40; border of sea otter costs from
500 to $3.50, while the stylish natural
beaver trimming is added to sack for
from $50 to 500. The Russian sable is
almost priceless. and a seal coat, with
sable border, made last winter in this
city for lady of Massachusetts, cost
81 800, to which a small muf added $500
more. making the cost of the whole set
$4,000. The price of q muff made to
order this season by the same firm was
500, the fur being the choice of 10000
skins.
Unless one is so wealthy as not to be
obliged to consult first cost it is wise
plan to buy a sack without border,
putting all your money in the wrap it
self, and have the border added the
next season. Long sacks are the
choice, ranging from thirty-five to forty
inches in length, while extra long gar
ments made to order measure forty
eight inches or more. Paletots and
pelisses are the novelties in the shape
of these long cloaks. The graceful
paletot is of slender shape. with large,
wide sleeves folded squarely upward
from below, extending far behind to
give narrow back, and inserted high
over the shoulder, giving large arm
holes that make this cloak as easily
thrown off and on as a circular. The
paletot buttons down the entire front,
and has a wide collar, cuffs and border
of some rich fur with long fleece. such
as black fox, beaver, otter, marten or
chinchilla. Such cloaks are lined with
quilted seal-brown satin and cost from
$685. to $3.50. The stylish pelisse of
seal skin is shaped precisely like the
surtout now worn by ladies, and is
what unskilled chroniclers of fashion
men, probably-call "a seal skin dress"
1t is at once an over dress and cloak,
requiring very simple dress beneath
it, and is especially complete when
worn with pelerine cape and great
cuffs of natural brown beaver fur; it is
close fitted to the waist, single-breasted,
is fastened two-thirds of the way down
the entire front, and is left open behind
from the waist line down the middle of
the back. In well made seal coat the
pile of the fur should run upward, so
as to fall open slightly when worn,
which gives a rich, velvety look to the
fur. To test this turn the cloak bottom
upward and notice the difference.
In regard to the care of furs, dealers
say they must be kept in cool, dry
place, and must not be dried by artili-
cial heat after having been exposed to
rain or snow. This is especially true
of seal skin, which has its fine pile flat
tened, marked and matted when dried
by a fire or furnace heat. 1t should in
stead be exposed to the air of cold
room, and should be well spread out
when drying.
Fur-lined cloaks come next to seal.
In these there are many shapes. The
dolman, the Medici, with its graceful
sleeves, the Lahore, and any number of
circulars are shown. Brocaded and
cisele velvets are the materials used for
the most elegant of such wraps, while
satin de Lyon, Sicilienne, armure silks
and heavy gros-grains are the next
choice. Ladies in deep mourning buy
cloaks OF wooden armure, lusterless and
without trimming beyond round col
lar of black fox or black hare. The
squirrel lock fur, formed of the breasts
of the animal, is chosen as lining for
heavy materials on account of its light
ness, but the dark fur formed of the
squirrel backs Is richer ana more
durable. A circular with lining in
dark Siberian squirrel ranges from $50
to $3.50 without a border. A very odd
lining is shown of the heads of the ami
mai, tiny scraps of fine fur, DEITY
pieced together, giving peculiarly
rich effect.
The fashionable fur set of the season
consists of a round collar or shoulder
cape with muff to match. Such sets
will be much worn this winter to COM
plete the favorite walking dress of cloth
or velvet. The small round collar. the
medium large Eugene collar, cut off
square across the 'front.' yet long enough
to cover the chest; the shorter victorine
and the large stylish pelerine, covering
the shoulders nearly to the waist, like
coachman's cape, are the various
styles seen in new fur sets. With many
of these, wide square cuffs are worn
that are merely wide borders of fur, not
shaped and drawn in at the wrists with
elastic, like those formerly worn. The
muffs remain very small, and, indeed,
are smaller than those of any winter.
though preference for larger muffs is
noted in Europe. The round mutt,
without ornament, unless it be border
of another kind of fur, is sold by fur
riers instead of the fiat. bag-shaped
muffs that modistes make of velvet,
feathers, flowers and lace, while a novel
shape is tur reticule, with pockets on