The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-28
Increase in the Cost of Seal
Skin This Year.
IT is DUE TO DEMAND
Some Of the FurS Which are
More Expensive.

vious years The price has advanced from
. to - Per cent The fur trade Of the
country IS changing. It has been many
years since the buffalo overcoat OF the
frontersnan was a common article. ana
the furs Of other large uIid animals are
following in the path laid oct by The
bison. There VIII, however. be no scar
CITY Of flrs, for as the Wild furs become
scarcer the hides OF domestic animals are
orawn upon q supply the deficiency. ard
some Of these newer furs possess desr-
able qualities not found in the ones for
merry in use.
When asked what could be the most ex-
pensive Eur coat the answer Of the major
ity Of people would be the sealskiu coat
but there IL least are TWO coats which
a-e worn 10 some extent more expensive
than the sealsziu. The most expensive
coat which could be made would be
that of the silver fox. These animals are
natives OF North America. close u the
Arctic circle. The skins. as taken from
the animals. sch for $50 70 500. the high
CT price being often more paid for
particular good specimen. 1T would
probably require the skins Of eieht foxes
To make coat 81 it viii be seen that
exclusive Of manufacture the coat would
ccst approximately S-60 The coat
which would probably he the most ex-
pensive Of these which are worn ~ great
er or less extent is made Of tie fur l-noyyn
Is broad tail to the trade it is the fur
OF the unb0rn Persian lamb perfectly
dyed ~ an intense Black. A coat of
such material costs about $500 There is
s-t one worn in Omaha So far as the
dealers know of and the owner OF that
coat IS not looked upon with envy bv
those who know The value OF furs. as il
Is not durable.
Tbs sealsk5o is the standard, in spite OF
The more expensive furs There has been
marked advance in the price OF seal
skins, not due SO much % q decreased
supply - % an increased demand A
sealslIiu Jacket which last year sold for
sll9 now commands $-59
While there has been no appreciate de-
crease IN the supply of sealskins this year.
The dealers look forward to the day when
the supply IS 70 fau-and already they are
casting aboat for substitute The clos
est imitation 10 the skin Of the seal and
one which IS in general use under the
trade name II near seaLH IS the skin Of
the hare This skin is trimmed and pull
I'd. dyed and dressed SD that the untrain-
ed eye n drst appearance it w0ul pass
for sealslSln. il sells much lower and is
said to be almost as durable
The most durable of alb the skins. and
enc which Tally repays the purchase
price in utility is the skin Of the otter.
An otter coat costs one-half the price of
similar sealskin garment Il is u1dyed
and for that reason more durable. Tt VIII
with ordinary usage. last lifetime. and
there are cases where particularly good
skins have been handed down for several
generations requiring but slight renew
ais 10 be perfect for with good skins
there is Htle change Of style
II one IS looking fCr the most expensive
fur they would probably think Of some
animal who must be sought in the ever
frozen North. 1ut they would not ind il
there. IS It IS worn by she chiachHIa.
among the rocks GA the haichts OF the
Andes mountains in Chile ana Peru ID is
g. sual animal. somewhat after TIE STYLE
o. the ch.pmu1k. @ stray animal striped
with white. The fur is softer than any
known manufacture of man. ana when
dressed Is about six inches wide bv faot
long In the extreme portions. s1uarir-
about four hy elsht inches These skins
sell from S. 70 fl- apiece depending anon
the size and qualify They aye used to
trim collars ana cufs one hide being
required ior each cun and several FOR
a collar The fur is Tar from durable ana
IS one 81 the most expensive fors 90 u1afr-
tain IN good shape. as 1t must be renewed
practically every season.
II one IS locking for fur which has
advanced the most in price in the last
year they would probably strike Il The
first time as il IS that of The ernire.
year aEo The ermire skins 1ld as low rs
forty aad dlty cents each. today the
nominal price is 81 Tor the szlo as IL comes
from The animal with lttle 60 he found.
The coronation of the Nlng N Ene,ard
took au - Che available fur OF this AMI
nal III The market. and those who would
wear The rosal llr now ana Il practically
impossible to secure r. The nosr poru-
lar ~ che VITA flrs 81 rha country today
IS thar q the red FOX. althaush red fox
IS hardly known 60 the weaver of fur
garments. and IS decidedly out IL strie
but The tur q the Blue EEK IS very .1-..i,
worn So FAR as known there never was
blue lE ol earth iu IT'S proper season.
re- The dEers have IT lest succeeded i1
t-a1-lns The flr e. th- RED 11x 81 tha-
= appears As b,ue. and K has causar
tle popular fancy The cross fox sells
ct very much the same price SIS does
also rne Stay t1E. The hides az coyotes
ana wolves ara now treated in the same
manner and thase has bees 3 cons 5crch Ie
advance II these ---s 81 rraf- --- r----s