New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-23
GETTING SEILSKITs READY 10 WEAR.
THE PROCESSES OF PLUcKING AND GREAsiNG-
TRICKS OF FURRIERs.

| THE PROCESSES OF PLUCKING AND GREAsING-
TRICKS OF FURRIERs.
The rough hides Of wild animals which
school histories teach formed the primitive clothing OF
our barblrOus ancestors when touched by the magic
art Of the fur dresser become the luxurious wraps
Of the modern society belle It Is pleasant for pride
in home manufactures know that furs dressed
well in this city IN London. the great fur mart
Of the world, though the fur dyer repeats the
old story OF American haste. The processes Of
dyelng turs In this country too rapid,
and trustworthy dealers compelled TO send the skins
Of seal and other frproducng animals 10 Eng.
land 70 be dyed properly.
The wholesome prejudice which existed against dyed
furs before seaskin introduced completely
overcome time that the mass OF furs sold were
dyed. At that time all sorts Of artificial
means resortcd TO in order to enhance the
appearance and price OF the natural fur. The tiny gray
hairs which found only the costly seaotter were
Initiated by sewing white hairs In beaver and sealskln
Eccentric urrers went far point" their furry
trimmings with grebe feathers These superficial ances
have happily passed away. and Mt present there is
vulslon Of against all artificial treatment Of fur
Unplucked and uudyed fur In fashionable de-
mand.
All furs that are "pmcked" that is sealsktn, otter
beaver, nutria and sometimes muskrat and mink are
first thoroughly soaked and washed with bOax soap and
water. Fur skins ordinarily dried by
the uappers, hut sealskns, account OF the large
masses OF bubbcr adhering to Them are usually
sailed down, After soaking the skins to be
"pluckeh" are put through process Of sweating" IN
which the wet skim pelt downward Is placed in hot
winter, In summer when the mass OF the skins
dressed In the hot for the winter trade The fur
dries leaving the pet damp and the skin is passed
over a beau and the workman with dull knife pulls
out the long, coarse hairs leaving only the soft pI5hke
fur, which grows the pelt.
Chlnca, the little South American rodent Is the only
ANIMAL whose fur in natural state compares softnes,
with pucked sealskIn. Otter. when pucked and dyed
closely resembles sealskin though 1t is q deeper more
durable fur. Beaver Is a similar fur which Is cheaper
than otter. II is used principally for capes NUTS and
trimmings Large quantities OF muskrats caught In our
rivers, are yearly dressed and dyed like seal
skin, aud prepared by INSCRIPTIONS fIrriers
to deceive the mwary. Nutrla is another fur
which Is not sold by the urrier under It's Own name but
Is usually used as beaver. II Is species Of South
American animal resembling beaver year ago. when
mink skins, which formerly sold for s. EACH were
reduced In price 10 80 cents few mink skins were
pIucked but thus tiny creature possesses little soft
doWny fur to b. used In this way After seasn and other
urs are pucked they are placed with unpcked frs and
are ready for the first regular step In dressngn which n
are carefully rubbed with good butter No other
oil or grease can be used In dressing skins The urrer "a
as suspicious Of rancid butter or oeomargarne "a the
most fastdous housekeepor faint IN the butter which
10 USED leaves an unpleasant odor In the fur which may
be readily detected After the skins are Thoroughly
creased number are thrown together into the huge
hogsheads. which are arranged Ia rows around the
room where the furs dressed Here stalwart
IN pare feet stand, In each hOgshe ad and
traiape me skins under foot for twelve hours. No
machine has ever been invented which will take the place
Ia dressing nue. frs of this primitive process Common
wOnsElns and other coarse hides are beaten by beam
oy steam but saoles seaskn, ermne and handsome furs
DC trampled under the feet OF the butter
ths thoroughly driven into the hide the skin soraped
Tree from any hesn which may adhere to it, or any sur
, m Oh petit and all the long hairs which pro-
Ias, now thick with grease. Is taken to a room
WneTo huge revolving drums are seen slowly
moving win furnace Of Goals beneath each
n1 skhs are thrown into these drums which are half
run on WOOD sawduse The sawdust from rosewood
" % pahks Is generally used. The furnace be-
tho aun Keeps It's contents heated to even tenn
PSah anu tnus the grease on the fur Ia gradually
sol Oh skins Is generally put through three