WHAT WOMEN FUR BUYERS SHOULD KNOW 37 



Speaking of badger, it is a beautiful, downy, deep, gray mottled 

 fur most becoming to young girls and very reasonable in price. The 

 fact it is used to imitate silver fox gives a key to its beauty. In a 

 cold dry climate like the Manitoba climate, it is durable. In a damp 

 climate like New York, it would mat and lose its lustre and soon look 

 like weathered wool. 



"Pointed fox" is cross fox with the white hairs glued in by hand. 

 It need hardly be added glue is not durable, though it can be cheaply 

 repaired. 



"Iceland fox" is nothing but Chinese sheep or goat, combed, 

 electrified and bleached. It is warm but sheds and dulls. Also 

 it is very cheap. 



Muskrat is the most durable imitation fur. The thing to look 

 out for is the crocking or cracking of the dye, "the stay" of the pelt. 

 The reason so many muskrat linings pull to pieces is the pelt has 

 been thinned too closely, or cured too harshly. It cracks. 



Ermine used to be a rare high-priced, almost priceless fur; 

 for with the black spots over it, it was the miniver of royalty ; 

 but for some years, ermine has gone out of style. It is a very warm 

 fur for children or for evening wraps ; but it is easily soiled ; and 

 should never be bought on the same price basis as chinchilla, mole, 

 squirrel, mink, sable or marten. Neither the pelt nor the fur are 

 worth it. When you pay such prices, you are paying for a whim, 

 and not for real values. And ermine is not becoming to all skins. 

 Look at it on a saffron face. 



When buying kolinsky, look out for seam rips from dye. 



When wolf is sold as fox, the coarse back has been cut out. Feel 

 for the outline of the fox shape and size. 



Lynx is a soft, delicate, fluffy fur; but no fluffy fur will stand 

 hard usage and not lose its fluff. 



When buying mink, be sure not only that it is mink, but that 

 it has been trapped in season, in December and January, when the 

 fur has a lustre. Otherwise, your mink may have to be dyed to 

 match stripes and that will weaken the skin below. 



