The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1883-11-10
Furs of all kinds.


"What we call fur In the trade" said
the expert. taking up q skin, sis this.
You see, by spreading open the hair Of
this seal there are two kinds Of hair;
one, the fur that is short rnd lies close
ly TO the skin and another the overhsir
that is long aud what we see ct first
glance of the animal. The difference
between the two is very great, the fur
being soft, downy, silky and sometimes
curly, while the overhair is course and
rigid. Each has peculiar value for
many purposes, but particularly in
felting, the fine, upon treatment to hot
water, readily joins IN solid mass,
while the long hair can be woven and
spun. When the animal is alive the uses
of the two hairs are seen. The fine
underhair keeps out water and cold,
while the overhair prevents felting and
entangling. In some cases one is ex-
tremely valuable alone, and in others
the combination is equally so.
''In former times" continued the
dealer, ''the fur trade was controlled By
vast monopoles, but now is in the
hands of private individuals. One of
the largest companies is the Alaska
Company, formed about fifteen years
ago. They have certain privileges and
only one hundred thousand animals are
allowed to be taken year. They also
pay certain amount to the government
for all the seals taken at the Pribylov
Islands, but beyond this and few re-
strictions In Russia the trade is open to
all under the given restrictions. The
old Hudson Bay Company, at least In
name, is still in existence, but has its
principal office in London, where, in
the months of January, September and
March of each year, all their skins are
sold at public auction.
"The rawskin of an American fur seal,
sailed, is worth about SIS, perhaps more
or less. The largest are about three by
six feet. But the very best fur comes
from the Antarctic waters, the Shetland
Islands principally, The fur is remark
ably fine and light and they are worth
$40 or $50 a skin in first hands.
"New York gets the bulk of American
skins, and from there they are shipped
to London, Leipsic and various cities.
At the latter city they have spring and
autumn fairs, like our State fairs, where
skins are bought and sold in great num-
bers. At the great fairs OF Njui-Nov-
gorod, Kasap and Irbit. in the Ural
mountains, there are great fur sales,
while the same is true of Kiachla, in
Siberia. The great centres all have
their peculiarties. Thus staple furs,
or those made into hats, etc., mainly
from the rabbit come from Russia,
France and Germany; but the great fur
trade centre OF the world is London.
ALI the world-North and South Amer
lea, Asia, Africa-send their goods
there. These skins arc all shipped
dried, the meat and fat having been
carefully removed. The fur seal pelt,
however, is shipped in salt. After furs
are made up the clippings are all sent to
certain places and made into hats, etc.,
OF various kinds. Nothing is lost.
zone of the greatest difficulties in this
country is to find good dyers conse-
quently most of the best dyeipg is done
Europe. The muskrat, otter, fur
seal, and beaver skinf are all dyed, as q
rule. The rich brown color of some seal
iur was, however, accomplished in this
country, and this hair, you remember,
is the inside fur, tnat is obtained by
carefully scraping the skin on the under
side, thus cutting the roots Of the long
hairs, which then come out, leaving the
fine rich hair beneath that is 70 much
admired.
Clancy furs Of course bring fancy
prices. and l suppose tina sea ottel
might be mentioned as Al. They are
caught On the North Pacific shores
I've shot them in Japan myself, and
some OF the natives there train them t.
fish. They lie among the weeds and are
remarkable for their affection for theil
young, holding them as a mother does
a baby and carrying them out ID sea oil
their backs, tossing then up in the air
Just as you would child. The first one
shot made me feel SO badly that
never tried it again. Here is skin
They run about two feet by six in size
You see the overhair is exceedingly fin,
and silky and silver tips regularly anC
naturally arranged. You often see TIM
initiated in cheap fur. The finest skin
bring about i've hundred dollars apIec,
and garments from it have been SOLE
at from one to five thousand dollars. Tn
rich Chinese and Russians get the cream
of the supply, 30 I'm told, The com
mon otter is different thing entirely
and their skins are only worth at bes
five dollars; but about forty-fve thou
sand are used every year by the trade
to about forty-eight thousand of the Sci
otter, the latter being rarer.
''Hhe marten, or Russian sable, is ais
/, fancy fur and the trade uses over
hundred thousand skins year, that,
all were first-class, would be worth, +
first hand $l2, 1000, 600, supposing tina
; each skin brings 1920 or so, which
the best price. But they don't. Still
at one-thlrd Of this there Is money /
them. The overhair is exceedingly fine
, rich and flowing, oftan three inche
: long and Of n dark metallic blue tim
l They are all trapped In Siberia, the bel
: coming from tue localities about VI
: kutsk. The Lena, the Amoor, Kams
= chatka and Saghalien furnish others {
Q \ more or less marketable quality
t There are several kmds of mart Il
d Here is what we call baum. The II
9 is rather woolly. They come from Er
d rope aud Asia and are not, at the bes
u valued over ten dollars a skin. Abol
d sixty thousand, however, are used yea
b ly by the trade. One hundred and fiji
I thousand stone martens are used al
about one hundred and forty thousar
of the American marten. The latter HI
fine Qverhair, often two and a hs
inches long. The color ranges betweC
rich coIee-brown and tawny yellow
ir The Al skins bring about $25, Will