Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1893-10-25
PELTS INTO LEATHER.
The Cost of the Genuine and Imitation
Articles.


The Cost of the Genuine and Imitation
Articles.
Very few people have any idea of
the number of different animals which
contribute their skins for the adorn-
ment of pocketbooks, purses, ETC., and
make up the large number of odds and
ends which people find so useful.
Monkeys, pigs, goats, snakes, lizards,
alligators, sheep, calves, fish, seals and
even birds, all contribute. The great
majority of these skins are imported.
The one thing of importance in leather
for fancy leather goods is the grain,
says the Trunk and Leather Review,
which influences the price to very
great extent. The number and varie-
ty of grains is large, and the different
feathers are classified when received
according to the size of the grain I'M
der these several headings-fsh, Mo-
rocco, gros grain, Levant, Turkey,
monkey, pig and seal. These grains
are all different sizes, the monkey be-
ing the largest, although the pig and
seal are very pronounced. The fish
grain is the smallest of all. Besides
these feathers there are great many
limitations made-buffing, which is
split cowhide, and skiver, which is
split sheepskin. But these can be cas-
lily told, as what is called hand grain
is the natural grain of the skin touched
by hand, whereas the ordinary imita-
tions are embossed by machine. Sew
eral other grains made by machinery
on skiver or bufing are called boarded,
being made by a brass tool which
gives fine straight lines close togeth-
er; the others showing wavy effects
or water lines on the skin and dice
grain.
The most expensive leather sells for
from 500 to $110 per dozen skins. This
is the genuine Russian leather, which.
has of late temporarily lost popularity.
1t is in gros-grain. Levant goatskins
sell for $50 dozen skins. Seal sells at
from $50 to $50 dozen, and pig skins
are sold by the skin at $3.50 or 81 each.
Monkey skins are cheaper. selling at
So per skin, but these latter are hard
to procure at any price. They are
made up by only one or two manufac-
turers that we know of in America
into the finest grade of leather novel
ties of the imported SKINS With the
exception OF the sealskins, which are
tanned in England, nearly all these
skins are tanned in Germany, although
sheepsllins are tanned in France
A very ingenious imitation of Rus
sian leather has been made of calfslzin,
perfumed with oil of birch. 1t is
dangerous counterfeit, for the reason
that the color is exactly the same, and
the appearance and odor very much SO,
often puzzling the untutored buyer.
Time, however, destroys the false odor
and reveals the imitation. The most
important thing now, and the latest.
is to have ths leath 1velties which
women carry to match their dress in
color. The houses which import leath-
ers to this country used to send sam
pies of feathers to Germany and else
where to match, so as to strike the ex-
act color. Now silk, cotton stuffs,
plush, etc, are sent instead. Lizard
skins come largely from Borneo, as
well as Germany.
Americans Should Learn This.
The Indians on the Missouri river
tread water just as the dog treads it.
Among the natives of jeanne, an island
on the coast of Madagascar, young
persons walk the water, carrying fruit
and vegetables TO ships becalmed or,
it may be, lying in the ofing miles
away. At Madras, watching their op-
portunity, messengers with letters Sc
cured in an oilskin cap, plunge into
the boiling surf and make their way to
the vessels outside, treading the water
through sea in which no ordinary
boat could live. At the cape of Good
Hope men used toproceed to the vessel
in the offing through mountain bill
lows, treading the water as they went
with the utmost security.