170 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
FUR-SEAL SKINS 
SHIPMENTS 
Seven hundred and eighty-six barrels containing 60,470 fur-seal 
skins taken on the Pribilof Islands in 1939 were shipped on the 
U. S. S. Capella and arrived at Seattle on September 1. Of these 
skins, 47,643, packed in 497 barrels, were from St. Paul Island, and 
12,827, packed in 289 barrels, were from St. George Island, All were 
forwarded by freight to the Fouke Fur Co., at St. Louis, Mo. 
The foregoing figures include 9,071 sealskins, or 15 percent of the 
season’s take, packed in 118 barrels, allotted to the Canadian Govern- 
ment in accordance with provisions of the fur-seal treaty. Owing to 
war conditions in Europe, however, Canadian authorities decided to 
have the shipment consigned to the Fouke Fur Co., and arrangements 
were made subsequently to have the skins handled with those of the 
United States, as was the practice prior to 1933. 
Twenty-five barrels of salted blubber, having a gross weight of 
10,593 pounds, also were brought out on the Capella and delivered to 
the Fouke Fur Co., f. 0. b. Seattle, for use in the tanning of sealskins. 
Three sealskins, parchment dried for experimental purposes, were 
brought to Seattle on the Penguin in August and were turned over to a 
representative of the Fouke Fur Co. for transporting to St. Louis. 
SALES 
Two public auction sales of fur-seal skins taken on the Pribilof 
Islands were held in St. Louis in 1939, on May 22 and October 2, 
respectively, at which there were sold a total of 42,284 skins for a 
gross sum of $807,677. During the year, also, 787 sealskins taken 
on the Pribilof Islands were disposed of at private sales, under special 
authorization of the Secretary, for a total of $16,208.90. In the 
following detailed statements the sales of other sealskins by the 
Department for the account of the Government are included, in order 
that the records may be complete. 
May 22, 1939.—On May 22, 1939, 20,520 Pribilof Islands fur-seal 
skins, dressed, dyed, and machined, were sold for $344,338.75. These 
skins consisted of 7,800 dyed black and 12,720 dyed safari brown. In 
addition, 210 fur-seal skins taken by the Japanese Government on 
Robben Island in 1937 and allotted to the United States as its share 
of such skins under provisions of the fur-seal treaty, were sold for 
$3,495.50. Of these, 196 finished skins, dyed safari brown, brought 
$3,492, and the remaining 14 skins, unhaired and dressed, brought 
$3.50. 
October 2, 1939.—At the sale on October 2, 21,764 Pribilof Islands 
fur-seal skins were sold for $463,338.25. Of these, 21,646 dressed, 
dyed, and machined brought $463,297.75, and 118 raw and partly 
processed skins brought $40.50. The processed skins consisted of 
8,039 dyed black, 8,516 dyed safari brown, and 5,100 dyed matara 
brown, a recently developed shade which was offered at this sale for 
the first time. 
