The New York herald., 1920-11-07

dozen fur coats were sold averaging
$1,000 apiece is easily credited when
one sees what occurs over here.
Once a dealer said there was only one
fur garment costing $1,000 in America
and il belonged TO Mrs. Astor Just try
to count the number now that sell at
that price and much higher. Whether
or not. such extravaganza will continue
is not the question for a fashion writer.
The stimulating fact is that it is in full
swing to-day.
There was a time, possibly when Mrs.
Astor had the short sable cape, when
the sealsikn sacque went along with dia-
mond earrings as symbols of wealth and
fashion and woman nor her husband
did not cavil at paying a goodly price
for such valuable assets to the wardrobe,
because they were looked upon in the
! light of heirlooms No such comforting
thought can excuse the purchase of furs
| this season.
Fashions change in the twinklng of
an eye. Furriers charge a staggering
price to alter, to steam, to refine. One
asks for bids. looks at the result. then
mournfully puts the peltry into moth
balls-even camphor is too expensive.
| That is the common act.
The shapes the thing to-day. There's
the reason that the furriers do not lose
their sleep to invent names. to think
what is best for rabbit. elegant for
coon. noble and high sounding for chip
munk.
Call them what they are. say furriers.
! 1t makes no difference row i'm the price
No one need be fooled. Tell them the
/ truth. Even a cat can be worn by
| king-if there are any left in old Eu-
rope who can pay the price.
/ SOVietism has putarad into apir1a lie
also. Class distinctions have vanished.
Sable keeps company with coney. monkey
with ermine. 'possum with chinchilla and
baby lamb trots confidently along with
a leopard.
If the lion is not making it's bed with
| lamb, the wolf has taken its place, which
should be a much worse disaster or
more potent sign Of the Judgment Day.
Premet OF Paris has named successful
frock the wolf and the lamb" to prove
this point to the world.
Beaver and mink go amiably together
to the best parties. Mole ceases to run
from rabbit but comes into the light OF
day and night by it's side No animal Is
| too insignificant to be killed to serve
fashions end and many OF them deserve
to be killed or have been killed in ord
to be eaten. There's some comfort In
| that. No one Is so wise as TO be able
to place the different pelts in their re-
| spective relations to each other. The
list would be too long and inaccurate,
and expert work on a garment deter
mines its price.
This much one can say: Sable and
| ermine continue to rank as costly and
! desirable. Sealslin is high in fashion
through the Governments work in put
| ting 1t before the American people
Chinchilla is beyond the purse of the
average woman. Caracul is immensely
liked and wearable, dyed or in its nat
/ ural color.
Summer ermine. which is the color of
| dead leaf and is taken on by the
animal to be self-concealing in the dust,
! is smart when added to another fur.
/ usually darker one. White coney is
not only used for trimming but for en-
tire wraps. Squirrel throws itself wildly
around over the wardrobe 1t appears
as coat OF distinction or as wide
! flounces to an afternoon frock
/ Beaver Is expensive durable and
/ vastly becoming Mink ranks well up.
Mole is sought by the dressmakers
Broadtall holds its own. And there
are dozens of others that every one
knows and forgets; kolinsky. for in
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