Musquash, pulled and dyed Sold as seal.
Nutria, pulled and dyed Sold as seal.
Nutria, pulled and natural Sold as beaver.
Rabbit, sheared and dyed Sold as seal or electric seal.
Otter, pulled and dyed Sold as seal.
Marmot, dyed Sold as mink or sable.
Fitch, dyed Sold as sable.
Rabbit, dyed Sold as sable or French sable.
Hare, dyed Sold as sable, or fox, or lynx.
Musquash, dyed Sold as mink or sable.
Wallaby, dyed Sold as skunk.
White Rabbit Sold as ermine.
White Rabbit, dyed Sold as chinchilla.
White Hare, dyed or natural Sold as fox, foxaline, and
other similar names.
Goat, dyed Sold as bear, leopard, &c.
Dyed manufactured articles of
all kinds Sold as "natural."
White hairs inserted in foxes
and sables Sold as real or natural furs.
Kids Sold as lamb or broadtails.
American sable Sold as real Russian sable.
Mink Sold as sable.
_The Preservation of Furs._--For many years raw sealskins have been
preserved in cold storage, but it is only within a recent period, owing
to the difficulty there was in obtaining the necessary perfectly dry
atmosphere, that dressed and made-up furs have been preserved by
freezing. Furs kept in such a condition are not only immune from the
ravages of the larvae of moth, but all the natural oils in the pelt and
fur are conserved, so that its colour and life are prolonged, and the
natural deterioration is arrested. Sunlight has a tendency to bleach
furs and to encourage the development of moth eggs, therefore continued
exposure is to be avoided. When furs are wetted by rain they should be
well shaken and allowed to dry in a current of air without exposure to
sun or open fire.
Where a freezing store for furs is not accessible, furs should be well
shaken and afterwards packed in linen and kept in a perfectly cool dry
place, and examined in the summer at periods of not less than five
weeks. Naphthalene and the usual malodorous powders are not only very
disagreeable, but quite useless. Any chemical that is strong enough to
destroy the life in a moth egg would also be sufficiently potent to
injure the fur itself. In England moth life is practically continuous
all the year round, that is, as regards those moths that attack furs,
though the destructive element exists to a far greater extent during
spring and summer.
_Comparative Durability of Various Furs and Weight of Unlined Skins
per Square Foot._
The following estimates of durability refer to the use of fur when
made up "hair outside" in garments or stoles, not as a lining. The
durability of fur used as linings, which is affected by other
conditions, is set forth separately. Otter, with its water hairs
removed, the strongest of furs for external use, is, in this table,
taken as the standard at 100 and other furs marked accordingly:--
_The Precious Furs._
+---------------------------------------+-------------+------------+
| | Points of | [2]Weight |
| | Durability. | in oz. per |
| | | sq. ft. |
+---------------------------------------+-------------+------------+
| Sable | 60 | 2-1/2 |
| Sea | 75 | 3 |
| Fox, Silver or Black | 40 | 3 |
| " White | 20 | 3 |
| Ermine | 25 | 1-1/4 |
| Chinchilla | 15 | 1-1/2 |
| Sea-otter (for stoles or collars) | 100 | 4-1/4 |
+---------------------------------------+-------------+------------+
_The Less Valuable Furs._
+----------------------------------------+-------------+------------+
| | Points of | Weight |
| | Durability. | in oz. per |
| | | sq. ft. |
+----------------------------------------+-------------+------------+
| Sable "topped," i.e. top hairs coloured| 55 | 2-1/2 |
| " tinted, i.e. fur all coloured. | 50 | 2-1/2 |
| Baum Marten, natural | 65 | 2-3/4 |
| " " tinted | 45 | 2-3/4 |
| Stone Marten | 40 | 2-3/4 |
| Nutria | 27 | 3-1/4 |
| Musquash, natural | 37 | 3-1/4 |
| " water hairs removed, sheared | | |
| and seal finished. | 33 | 3-1/4 |
| Skunk | 70 | 2-3/4 |
| Mink | 70 | 3-1/4 |
| Lynx, natural | 25 | 2-3/4 |
| " tinted black | 20 | 2-3/4 |
| Marmot, tinted | 10 | 3 |
| Fox, tinted black | 25 | 3 |
| " " blue | 20 | 3 |
| Opossum | 37 | 3 |
| Otter (with water hairs) | 100 | 4 |
| " (water hairs removed) | 95 | 3-15/16 |
| Beaver (water hairs cut level with fur)| 90 | 4 |
| " (water hairs removed). | 85 | 3-15/16 |
| Moleskin | 7 | 1-3/4 |
| Persian Lamb | 65 | 3-1/4 |
| Grey " | 30 | 3-1/4 |
| Broadtail | 15 | 2-1/4 |
| Caracul Kid | 10 | 3-1/4 |
| " Lamb | 15 | 3-1/4 |
| Squirrel | 25 | 1-3/4 |
| Hare | 5 | 1-3/4 |
| Rabbit | 5 | 2-1/4 |
+----------------------------------------+-------------+------------+
_Quantities of Fur needed, in Square Feet._
The "Paris Model" figure is the basis of these estimates for ladies'
garments, the standard measurements being height 5 ft. 6 in., waist 23
in., bust 38 in.
Sq. Ft.
(approximate).
Straight stole 1/2 length (just below the waist line) 2-3/4
Straight stole 3/4 length (just below the knee) 3-3/4
Stole, broad enough at the neck to cover the top of
arm 3/4 length 5
The same, full length (to hem of skirt) 6
Eton jacket, without collar 13
Plain cape, 15 in. long 6-1/2
Deep cape, 30 in. long 15
Full cape with broad stole front, 3/4 length 15
Inverness cape (to knee) 25
Double-breasted, straight, semi-fitting coat, covering
hips 16
Double-breasted sacque jacket, 36 in. long, full sleeves 20
Same, 30 in. long 18
Same, 22 in. long 15
Long, full, shawl cape with points at back and front,
well below knee 15
Shorter shawl cape 16
Motoring or driving coat, 3/4 length 22
Motoring or driving coat, full length 27
_Weight and Durability of Furs for Men's Coat Linings._
Otter with the water hairs removed, the strongest fur suited for
linings, is here taken as the standard.
+---------------------------------+-----------+-------------+
| | Points of | Weight |
| |Durability.| in oz. per |
| | | sq. ft. |
+---------------------------------+-----------+-------------+
| Otter (the water hairs removed) | 100 | 3-15/16 |
| Beaver " " | 90 | 3-15/16 |
| Mink | 90 | 3-1/4 |
| Sealskin | 75 | 3 |
| Raccoon | 75 | 4-1/2 |
| Persian lamb or astrachan | 70 | 3-1/4 |
| Sable | 65 | 2-1/2 |
| Musquash | 55 | 3-1/2 |
| Nutria | 40 | 3-1/4 |
| Grey Opossum | 40 | 3 |
| Wallaby | 30 | 3-3/4 |
| Squirrel | 30 | 1-3/4 |
| Hamster | 15 | 1-1/4 |
| Rabbit | 10 | 2-1/4 |
+---------------------------------+-----------+-------------+
_Durability and Weight of Linings for Ladies' Coats or Wraps._
Sable gills, the strongest fur suited for ladies' linings, is taken as
the standard.
+---------------------------------+-----------+-------------+
| | Points of | Weight |
| |Durability.| in oz. per |
| | | sq. ft. |
+---------------------------------+-----------+-------------+
| Sable gills | 100 | 2-7/8 |
| Sable | 85 | 2-1/2 |
| Sable paws | 64 | 1-5/8 |
| Ermine | 57 | 1-1/4 |
| Squirrel back | 50 | 1-3/4 |
| Squirrel heads | 36 | 2-1/2 |
| Squirrel lock | 21 | 1-3/16 |
| Hamster | 10 | 1-1/4 |
| Rabbit | 7 | 2-1/4 |
+---------------------------------+-----------+-------------+
_Durability and Weight of Motoring Furs made up with Fur outside._
Otter with the water hairs, the strongest fur suited for motoring
garments, is taken as the standard.
+-------------------------------------+-----------+-------------+
| | Points of | Weight |
| |Durability.| in oz. per |
| | | sq. ft. |
+-------------------------------------+-----------+-------------+
| Otter (with water hairs) | 100 | 4 |
| Sealskin, marble | 80 | 3 |
| "Hair Sealskin" (tinted) with water | | |
| hairs (a special variety of seal) | 75 | 3-1/4 |
| Raccoon | 65 | 4-1/2 |
| Russian Pony | 35 | 2-5/8 |
+-------------------------------------+-----------+-------------+
_Durability and Weight of Furs for Rugs and Foot-sacks._
+-------------------------------------+-----------+-------------+
| | Points of | Weight |
| |Durability.| in oz. per |
| | | sq. ft. |
+-------------------------------------+-----------+-------------+
| Wolverine | 100 | 6 |
| Bear (black or brown natural) | 94 | 7 |
| Bear (tinted black) | 88 | 7-1/2 |
| Beaver | 88 | 4 |
| Raccoon | 77 | 4-1/2 |
| Opossum | 61 | 3 |
| Wolf | 50 | 6-1/2 |
| Jackal | 27 | 4-1/2 |
| Australian Bear | 16 | 6 |
| Goat | 11 | 4-1/6 |
+-------------------------------------+-----------+-------------+
Wolverine, the strongest fur suited for rugs and foot-sacks, is taken
as the standard.
For a rug about 20 to 25 sq. ft. of fur are needed, for a foot-sack
14-1/2. (W. S. P.)