Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30

Berlin and Vienna no lady of position
onits to include a set of them in her
trousseau. When well cared for by ex-
perts they may be handed down from one
generation to another. This is how the
precious-above-al, the unique sea otter
furs of certain Paris families, dating
from the retreat from Moscow, still sur
vive to create envy in the hearts of
brides of millionaires.
The. sea otter is one of the furs that
already cannot be bought. 1t is an ex-
ample Of what other precious furs viii
be in the near future. The poor beast has
been prosecuted out Of existence. His
range always was a. small one, confined
to certain tracts of sea off the Aleutian
Islands, though he has been found off
the Alaskan coast, and even down rs far
as California. Nowadays, if q single OF
ter is seen swimming out at sea, a whole
fleet of Aleut boats set out to capture IL,
and the poor beast is hunted till he can
keep under water no longer and is club
bed to death.
See how the fur-bearing animals become
exterminated. In the year 1889 there were
1886 sea-otter a1ins sold in London.
nearly all of thtAl at the March sale of
the Hudson Bay House. In 1894 the num-
Der sold was 1,45O. In 1898 the number
had fallen to $50, and in 1900 not a single
sea-otter skin was sold AS far as
dealers and the public are concerned, the
supply has ceased the rare SKINS that
come in annually being disposed of pri
vately at fabulous prices, as matter of
favor.
The fashionable Parisians who told me
all this did not try to conceal from me
that London and not Paris is the western
treasure house Of furs. 1t seems that
nowhere else can the raw furs be so
well treated; and the Hudson Bay Com
pany has long arms.
Paris they said, is the center not of
raw furs but of precious furs readymade
for retailing, and, above all, for the fash
ionable cutting and fitting OF elegant FUR
garments, and their dressmaker trimming
and combinations. We can all remember
without pretense to smartness, and even
ill-ftting All that has been changed by
Paris. Furs like astrakhan and fox are
.'thinned down., sliced and set on RID
bons for suppleneSs.
what others are the dearest after the
sea otter and the sable?' l asked.
Fashion changes within certain linz
it's the dealer answered but there are
five furs which must always hold their
own on their merits, like diamonds,
pearls, rubies, emeralds and sapphires;
and never, never do they go out of fash
ion. They are the sable, the seal, the
beaver for mems fur coats), the best
class of lake and river otter and the sill
Yer fox Every year they are growing
dearer. Three years from now they
may double in price, so scarce are they
growing and so great is the demand.
After these you can make up list of at
least twelve, which, though subject to
the fluctuations OF fashion, have been
long considered intrinsically precious.
They will soon rise to almost the first
rank
.And the fluctuations?'
They are not SO great, and will be
less" he said. They are all worth
keeping Never sell real furs any more,
in good condition. Different materials or
tints need different furs to trim them.
II colored velvets are to be worn in
wraps then chinchilla is the fur for
them. II heavy silks. black satin and
beads are in fashion nothing suits them
like sealskin and sable. One year young
ladies took to wearing jackets OF smooth
rm-brown cloth. Mink was exactly the
fur for it. If pearly gray cloth or pow
Canadian lynx or blue fox would be
created But all this will soon have no
meaning All will be fashionable. all the
time. Scarcity. Scarcity! Take the tiger
skins and leopard skins of this year." he
continued "Ermine has been fashionable
since the middle ages. but am not aware
of leopard having been worn since the
year 1918 B. c., when 1t was in vogue
among the nice little Bacchantes in honor
of Bacchus himself. Now. suddenly, tiger
came in again-the lady and the tiger.
A. d. 1913. | could not give you better
example,
People will be wearing rug-skins next, =
! said. What are those beautiful red
furs We see in automobiles
Red Canadian or Manchurian fox. he