The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-25

what . London Dealer Says About
Next Years styles and Prices.

what . London Dealer Says About
Next Years styles and Prices.
Evidently the price of furs is not regu-
lated by tho state OF the weather. Though
II b bitterly cold now. the temperature
throughout the winter months was remark
ably mild. Notwithstanding this the price
of furs increased enormously. and IL u
stated that such high figures have not been
reached for at least quarter Of q CEN
fury.
A reporter had an interesting chat re-
Gently with Mr.. Bills. a wholesale furrier.
on the subject. and learned some details
Of the prices which may be paid for a
lady's driving or evening cape. Mr. Bills
was found amid a most comfortable sur
rounding of furs. piles OF them were every
where. and festoons of gray, black and
brown skins hunk from ceiling and walls
with pleasant suggestion of warmth after
thssarctic atmosphere OF the. street.
Yes said Mr.. Bills. "furs have GER
tainly increased tremendously In price. and
next winter they will. 80 far as appearances
point. be stili dearer. The reason In some
what d!fsicuit Ia give, but should think II
h largely a question of supply and demand.
''you must know that London II the fur
market of the world. Buyers come from
MI countries. and IN no other capital are
there any sales Of raw goods which In
sales are held In January. March and
June for general furs. and in November
seaiskins only are sold. The March sales
last about fortnight. ana the goods are
on view for about three weeks previous
10 the days OF sale
ITO take the furs in their classes. sill
yer fox skins. which are taken chiefly by
France and America. few only being
bought by England and Russia show an
advance Of 90 ner cent. on last years
prices. The highest price paid this year
was 81 go for skin. and this was by
Paris arm. White fox which ere dyed
the fashionable shades, have advanced 81
per cent. while tbs blue fox which have
a natural color OF slate or blush gray are
now TO TO 80 per cent. dsarer and some
OF the finest iceland skins fetch even
more.
Next years fur neckietx will probably
he whole skin ONES. with head, etc. com
piete. and for these the prices have ad-
vanced Is per cent. The sea otter provides
one of the mos, valuable skins there is
and with a probability Of greatly re-
duced supply next year, and the pc ssibil-
isy OF the animals early extinction. the
advance Is 80 per cent Russia takes the
ma 3ority Of these furs and s75a Is an or
binary price for sufficient TO trim the COL
lar and cuffs Of an overtoat The highest
price so Tar has been 1870.
Lynx are dearer nv ~ per cent and
the American marten. which In England
Is generally called sable shows an adj
vance of % per cent While this Amers-
can variety fetches from s. 10 SIS a skin
the Russian sable ~ the real thing
IL worth from SIS 10 sep and a cape OF
say twenty -four inches depth costs &c.
96. Mink. which much resembles mar
ten IN color though the fur is shorter
and eoarser. and Is affected nv the ruling
prices Of sable and marten. and has gone IN
W per cent. viii probably he much used
for capes next year.
Bear skins az all varieties do not show
much change. The finest which are
used for army headdresSss, fetch from
So TO 81. but the general sorts are no
fearer than year ago. ansi should he
greatly In request ~ their present mod
crate prices. Skunk. ore of the best
wearing fsirs In use. although some 2, per
cent siearer IS still moderately Cheap.
and likely 60 be In great demand In con-
sequence
Tho numbers If furs on th~ market
have been. Silver fox. about ssns. white
fox ss1. blue FOX 3 sa: red fox a. asl:
sea after. Fea. l.nx. ttNsa. American
rnarten. 81 asA. mink aie eaa. bear. Il. aea.
and skunk. st.sssa. "-Easnsicr Mail,