426 ON THE TRADE IN SKINS AND FURS. 



In reviewing the fur trade in England from the year 1851 to the 

 present date, there is little to remark denoting progress. In this country 

 utility has perhaps been too closely regarded, and artistic feeling too 

 little exercised upon the combinations that may be effected of form, 

 colour, and texture with other materials. 



Time has long proved the style of manufacture most useful in this 

 climate for fur clothing, and in all the familiar varieties it would be 

 difficult to surpass the excellence of materials and workmanship of the 

 exhibitors rewarded. With each exhibitor there appears to have pre- 

 vailed the same, and a natural desire, on such an occasion to produce 

 the most costly goods — a circumstance in some degree regretted by the 

 Jurors, inasmuch as the cheap and imitation furs have been lost sight 

 of, and scarcely exemplified. 



As there exists in England an extensive consumption of low-priced 

 furs, it would have appeared desirable if some attention had been given 

 to the inferior skins, to have demonstrated how far effective goods can 

 be produced at moderate prices. 



The furs which have been brought into notice since the above period 

 are the beaver, the badger, the monkey, the musquash, and the skunk. 

 Prior to the year 1851, the beaver, which had commanded very high 

 prices, and had formed the staple article of the Hudson's Bay Company's 

 trade, began annually to decline in value in consequence of the great 

 perfection to which the silk hat had then been produced. The skins 

 became almost unsaleable, and the price, which had reached in more 

 favourable times 21. 3s. 7d. per pound, had declined to 4s. per pound. 



In the year 1851, the writer after some few experiments, introduced 

 it as a fur, by removing the upper coarse hair and retaining the soft fur 

 beneath, when, with the aid of an ingenious machine he had constructed 

 or the purpose, he cut the fur to a fine, even surface. 



When finished it was universally admired by the fur trade, imme- 

 diately rose considerably in value, and has continued in demand, both 

 for home and continental consumption. 



The writer has since introduced the Badger for ladies' muffs — a 

 genuine-looking fur at a very moderate price, which has led to the in- 

 troduction of the Virginian opossum, a skin of less value, but interest- 

 ing, as meeting the requirements of purchasers at a still lower price. 



The long shaggy black skin of one species of monkey, the white 

 thighed-Colobus, has been imported from the West coast of Africa : the 

 skin at first was not welcomed, and met with a very dull sale. The low 

 price encouraged speculators, and the skin was largely manufactured 

 into muffs, which, from the low rate they were offered at, and the really 

 good appearance the}' presented, did not fail to receive a favourable re- 

 ception from the ladies. 



A fashion arose, and from the original price of Is. per skin, they 

 advanced in the year I860 to 12s. per skin. Imitation by another long- 

 haired fur, and less care in manufacture, have occasioned the skins 



