Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-17
MOLEsKINs FOR LADIES.
The Sharp Weather Causes a Demand
for Furs.
From the London Chronicle.

| From the London Chronicle
ITS i'll wind that blows nobody any
| good" and the bracing sharpness of the
past few days has quickened the business
of some of the leading furriers of the West
End. A wet summer following on a long
| winter, and having for it's probable sue
cessor an early and severe season, Is re-
sponsible for sables squirrels, minks. chin
chilas, etc, being figuratively aroused from
their lairs-in the fur deposit chambers
for immediate wear.
At one well-known Regent-street house it
was ascertained by a Daily Chronicle repre-
sentative yesterday that pa irons were send
ing from all parts of the country for their
fur coats and jackets to be forwarded to
them. The manager stated that the exist
ing sharpness in the air had advanced their
usual sales. ut is as a rule he said, in
October when the principal business begins,
but the last winter was SO protracted that
ladies were wearing their furs up to the
end of April, and now are inclined to have
something newer in muffs, collerettes and
capeS for a change.
Among the wealthiest class Russian sables
are most In demand and are steadily sup
planting those of Canada. Within the past
ten years their value has doubled, owing to
their increasing scarcity. In the same period
and from the same causes the prices of all
furs have increased, sealskins alone being
now % per cent dearer. The modest mole
is the latest victim called upon TO Sned MS
skin in the cause of fashion. The demand
may be merely temporary freak, but here
is a moleskin jacket, valued at f75. Each
square in this, of about four inches, repre-
sents one mole's skin, and it has taken just
on a thousand to complete it. In Paris.
gray squirrel is being much worn at pres
ent, and it is most likely to become a IA
vorite here
Motoring furs and complete dresses of fur
are in demand at a fashionable furrery
establishment in Bond street. Some of the
coats for motor driving are extraordinarily
striking, that made of leopard-cat skins
somewhat resembling fresh mustard plas-
ter spangled with ink blots. Another of
puma skin said to have the useful
merit of being impermeable to both driving
rain and piercing wind. A handsome and
stylish cloak and skirt, entirely composed
of many thousands of sables' feet, and
trimmed with sable, looked superbly rich.
Upon a similar garb In moleskins the small
price of t125 was placed by the manage
ment, though it was adorned with a collar
of chinchia. The latter skin, owing to the
action of the Chilean government. has very
much increased in price. To curtail the ex-
port, and prevent the determination of the
true chinchilla, a heavy export duty has
been put in force An impressive gohng
coat for a lady was made of 800 hares'
ears and finished off with collar and cuffs
of otter.
All stored furs at this establishment are
in large refrigeratng chamber, where the
temperature is kept continually between 80
and 40 degrees. This is American scheme
for warding off the devastating moth, and
is new to this country. The more general
custom for protecting valuable furs is more
or less regular beating, which is said to in
jure the pelt and crush the hair, while
chemical preventives discolor and depre-
in both moths and their larvae, and has
proved a complete success.