Morning journal and courier., 1882-11-08
From the New York Times.

Much in Favor tn A AmeFtca-Where the
 Foreign Skins Come From and How
 They are Dressed-The Preservation of
 Furs.
 From the New York Times.l
 From time immemorial furs have played an important part in dress. The idea of royalty is inseparably 'nnected with them, for even in the East, where they cannot well be worn, they figure largely as mats and rugs. Perhaps, with the exception of Rus sia and Northern Germany, they are more universally worn here than in any other country. The severity of the winter in the northern States of course mainly accounts for this, but not altogether. The goddess of fashion dictates that furs shall be worn, and, as all know, 1t is unnecessary to attempt to account for her whims. Even in London, where very severe winters rare, fur lined cloalxs and mantlss are de rigueur, and here they become more usual ever winter. It IS quite matter of interest to inquire from whence all these magnificent furs come, when all the stores displaying them in such quantities that one might suppose the for ests and shores would in time become depop- ulated of their inmates. Oddly enough. considering the vast resources Of this coun. try, the majority of sealskins which are the principal furs now in use, are imported, and this fact is yet stranger when we learn that they came formerly from the great tracts of northern America belonging to the Hudson Bay company.
 The skins are sent to London to be pre- pared and dyed, and are bought at the large public sales in that city by American traders, who reimport them to this country. At ! present there is but one man in America who has succeeded as sealskin dyer, and yet the l dye used in London was discovered by an American and is made in New York. There are several varieties of sealskins, of which the best are the Alaska, but those known as l Copper Island skins, which are very largely ! imported, can only be distinguished from the Alaska by experts. They are inferior in staple, but this season particularly they have been so well dressed and dyed that they are more popular than they have ever been. They are extremely handsome, and many of | the most fashionable dolmans and sacques | are trimmed with them. Experts dett ct the difference between them and the Alaska seal by their being more thinly furred round the I edges. Another variety of seal, known as ] the Victoria, are of lower price indeed al l the Hudson Bay sale in London last week [ large portion were withdrawn in hopes o
 keeping up the price. Shetland Island sealskins rand almost as equal to Alaska, but there art
 very few of them in the market this year Up to this date no Victorias have arrived il New York from the regular March sale il
 London, but from I, 1000 to 5000 skins are
 expected between the 18th of November ana
 the 1st of January.
 Sealskins principally used for ladies
 wear, or for mems caps and gloves goot l
 and thickness of the staple, in its glossines
 and general appearance. A preference l given this season to the dark colored skins
 but as they have been artifcially colore
 they do not wear as well as those of the natu l ral tint. Fur dealers are of opinion that tn
 process resorted to for obtaining very dar ] color is injurious to the skins, and upon tha
 account skins which were lightly dyed te
 years ago wear better than those which ar
 now fashionable. The varieties we hay
 mentioned are all fur seals, but there ar
 other kinds of seal known as the hair seal, o
 blue black, which also caught in tn northern seas and are used for caps an gloves. Wool seal, again, which Is also cal
 ed ''white- coat, /" is in appearance not unllk sheepskin, and is d. ed and much used fc trimmings. The various dyes used in th preparation of skins are trade secrets. Sea skins vary greatly in price, from about $ f to $44 at the large auction sales in Londol
 Apart from sealskin there many favo
 ite varieties of furs, and the importation this year seem to have comprised them al l. Beaver, black-dyed rabbit, called comics v otter of different kinds, sables, Nutria skin ? Persianas and Astrakhan, and every varie of fancy fur. The price of all these furs n necessarily increased by the adherence to u ], old custom of sending them in immen
 quantities to certain large central marke o such as London, Novgorod or Leipsic, when they find their way back to the general trad n Such course seems thoroughly opposed IS the modern spirit of business, which cuts ( o l every extra expense and brings goods dire
 to the market where they will most easl reach the public. Furs ln their arlstocra IS security are uninfuenced by the telegraph a. cable, by fast freight lines cheap canal c- water freight or other modern improvemel
 which decide the fate and value of less fav' As ed, if more necessary, articles for wear ot food The fact that furs are thus sent in 8. cumulated quantities to great markets whi d have existed for centuries is very apt i'll 'N tration of the difficulty of overcoming e ce servatism in trade or of diverting it fir ssl well-defned and familiar channels.