The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-01-17

Black Marten May Be Skunk and Also Alaskan
Sable, Says Men York Dealer

term. With few exceptions. even the most
expensive furs are actually manufactured.
Making a fur garment Is more of an
art than most PERSONS realize. 1t is not
matter Of taking a few skins, cutting
the legs OF and patching together the
I large pieces which once covered the body
The foreman and designer OF q fur manu-
factory does not get a salary OF 5000 or
$9,e9 year simply for his knowledge
I Of patching together large skins. Il is
Ter bis ability In cutting the skins into
strips quarter Of an inch wide and put
ting them together again 50 that the
skins VIII be greatly increased In length
while the shading of the original skin
Is preserved The skill required may be
understood when il is known that in
some cases Il would be cheaper TO carve
up SO bill than to cut incorrectly q
piece of skin Of similar area. These
ribbons are al carefully sewn together
by machinery.
A few Of the furriers save the skins
that represent high values and devise ar
tieles Of wearing apparel IN which they
can be used without cutting. NUTS and
stoles offer such uses.
Fine furs rank with cash in the meas
ures taken for their safety. Large safes
With combination locks are provided for
their care. Not infrequently the contents
Of safe are equivalent 70 the contents OF
a vault IN a national bank in city OF
2o,ooo inhabitants. Furs valued at 5000
10 $4,000 are sometimes stored in a safe
six feet high and about three by four
feet in the other dimensions.
The most valuable skin IS that OF the
black fox. It's range IN price is from
s., 80 10 5000 The animal IS found in
Alaska and Siberia IN the latitude Of the
Arctic Circle.
, The most valuable fur in the manufac-
tured state IS the black Russian sable.
a single skin would cost from 500 TO
500. according to its quality, and a mantle
made Of this fur would be worth S20,99
It IS not unusual Tor a Russian sable coat
: to sell for $500 10 Sl5.000. Muffs and stoles
are frequently sold at prices ranging from
$1,000 70 $500 a set. The skin Of the sea
otter. which is generally used for trim
ming. IS valued at 81 COO. A robe OF this
skin would cost from S3.00e to SL000.
One e inclined 20 ask cynic2lly. What
/ is in a nameT' when he learns definitions
/ Of the names bestowed upon certain
skins. For instance, you can buy black
nlarten II Chicago. The buyer VIII dis
cover If he puts IL alongside the Alaskan
sable sold IN New York that the two
T are the same fur. According 20 Mr. Nc
Z Quinn, Of c. c. Shayne * Co, both are
the skins Of the American skunk.
There IS no such animal as the Hudson
Z Bay sable. said Mr.. AlcQuinn. 1T IS the
American marten. The dealer buys this
/ fur under the name OF marten. and IL IS
billed % him under that name. It is
similar 70 the Russian sable IN every re-
specL except in the shade and texture Of
the fur.
Up 10 the present year" he continued.
''Tnuskrat skins sold for from Is 20 =
cents IN the raw state. This year they
bring - % - cents. This IS because
OF the demand for manufacture into Hud-
son seal and 'Aleutiaa seal They are
/ sent 90 Europe There the long guard
hairs are plucked out and The fur shearea
- the depth Of the seal FUR. The skins
are then subjected 10 dye that vii
make them look Ike real seal. They are
7 then returned 20 this country and manu-
featured into coats Of various styles. They
are on the market advertised under the
heads Of Hudson seal and 'AleutIan
seal
The catch OF Alaskan seals IS I2000 10
14000 year, but $4,000 skins are sold IN
der that name IN the course Of a year
They are all real sealskins, but not the
skins Of the famous seals Of the PrioiIof
Islands"
Popular superstition has a part IN the
fur business. There IS a considerable
sale Of robes and garments made from
the skins OF the common house cat and
the rabbit il IS said that this demand
comes from persons afflicted with rheu-
matisua, who believe that these furs when
turned inward have curative qualities.