The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-11-05
Tho Present Fashion ia fnrs--Ths Prices
and Prospects. erf t

Tho Present fashfon in furs-Ths Prices
and Prospects. @
Bo,ion Conmtrrial Bulletin. vi fgsf D.
The season for firs Is Just opening and
the majority Of dealers believe that the
demand will DO better this winter than
Last. Up to about five years ago the de-
mand for iurs had been slowly dropping
oil In this country. Since then; however,
tho demand has experienced a marked r.
yiVal and the trade has increased each
year. It has been dull this spring and
summer, there being more or less ordered
work ut those seasons. But since the
cooler weather set In there has been an
encouraging increase In demand both IN
ordered and stock goods.
Furs are Worn mainly by women and
the fashions in them change nearly as
often rs In other classes of feminine ap-
parei.. This season, long garments arc the
prevailing fashion, and the manufacturers
have made but few short sacques. Quite
unexpectedly, there has been a little in
quiry for short garments, and IL fair bust
ness In ordered work nus thus been &C.
velopel. Ladies' fur garments are made
almost wholly Of sealskin, which IS by far
the most fashionable fur, rs 1t has been
for many years. 1t Is made into saclues,
ulsters, dolmans, capes, collars and mutis,
and Is also used in trimming.
Owing TO the steadily increasing de-
mand, the prices OF the sealskin arc ul-
vanclng, aud the finished skin Is 2j per-
cent higher than last season. The prices
OF senlskin garments have not advanced
however, but should the demand be up 10
expectations there will undoubtedly DO IN
advance equal to that in finished skins.
5 sis sEALsKlN sAcQuEs.
scalskin garments can be bought US low
rs $3.50, and some Of them will sell rs high
as $3.50 and 800. The general range Of
prices for these gartncnts is from S2Ga to
$500, however. There is at present q de-
clded inclination towards the mink, or
American sable, for sacques and dolmans
as well rs for capes, trimmings, etc. About
fifteen years ago, and III TACT up TO ten
years ago, this fur WIS very popular, but
since then it has been entirely out OF fash.
ion. 1t is very pretty fur, aud garment
OF it would Cost about the same as seal,
though the price Of the raw mink skin Is
much less than ten years ago. There is u
decidedly increased demand for shoulder
capes this season, and il the present ratio
Of orders is maintained, there will be |
dozen sold this season against one last.
These capes arc made mainly from
beaver, coon, lynx and seal skins, the |
beaver being the most popular. Beaver
capes sell at from Sl5a25; dyed coon. so. !
30; lynx, S20a30 and seal $i0a7j. Otter,
used occasionally, sells ut S3'5a5o. These |
prices are about the same as those ruling |
last year, with the exception of beaver,
which is about 20 percent higher. Tor
the last three or four years the demand
for beaver has been steadily increasing,
and next to seal it Is the most fashionable |
fur. The advance has been caused by the
increased demand. 1t is used not only III
capes but in collars and mutTs and very
largely in trimmings. 1t is q handsome,
heavy fur. Trimming is very fashionable
this season and is chiefly OF beaver, whici.
sells for this purpose at from S.4as per
yard. Beaver is the leading trimmin. fur,
though number OF other furs are used,
sea otter, whichis very rich and
expensive, ceiling at s2j per yard for trim
mine -f-a= :.