FUR FACTS 47 



Yukon River in Alaska. These light skins are large in size and very 

 deep and heavy in fur. These skins are all blended, and when this 

 is done by an expert dyer the effect is wonderful and they compare 

 very favorably with the natural dark brown skins. The fine dark 

 skins come from the Stewart and Pelly River districts in the Yukon. 

 Labrador also produces some very fine skins. Martens are found as 

 far south as California. 



Mink 

 The finest mink are found in America. They are a rich dark 

 brown color, but coarser than the marten and shorter in fur. The 

 mink from China and Japan are very light brown, almost yellow. 

 The China and Jap mink are all dyed; the American mink is made 

 up natural. The fur is about one half inch deep. When mink are 

 made up into coats they are often cut up in small narrow strips and 

 sewed together in order to heighten the effect of the dark stripe 

 down the back. In fact all of the finer garments are made up in this 

 way. So that in examining the inside lining of a mink coat if it 

 should appear to be made up of small pieces of fur sewed together, it 

 does not indicate that it is made from scraps of fur. On the contrary 

 it would mean that it was made by the most approved process. 

 Mink fur is one of the most satisfactory furs that money can buy. 

 It holds its color well and lasts for years and is always in style for 

 coats and trimming. For a while there was a prejudice against 

 mink, because people often connected mink with the old fashioned 

 fur coats of our grandmothers. Mink like any other article will lose 

 its original color in time and will fade out and become yellow, es- 

 pecially the poorer quality of skins, but this takes a long time. 

 Fresh new mink have life and lustre, are a decided brown in color 

 and make very beautiful fur garments. 



Kolinsky 

 The kolinsky, or Siberian mink, is found in the district east of 

 the Yemesie River and in its natural color it is a very light brown, 

 or yellow. All kolinsky are dyed before they are made up into 

 garments for the retail trade. In recent years the art of dyeing 

 kolinsky has been developed in America to a very high state of 

 perfection, and kolinsky wraps on this account are very popular. 

 The kolinsky is about the same texture and length of fur as the 

 American mink, but as they are all dyed, in judging kolinsky it is 

 well to keep this fact in mind and buy them according to the lustre 

 and quality of the dye. 



