Journal of Mammalogy 
Published Quarterly by the American Society of Mammalogists 
VoL. 3 FEBRUARY, 1922 No. 1 
THE FUR TRADE AND THE FUR SUPPLY 
By F. G. Ashbrook 
Prior to the world war the international fur trade was handled in 
Great Britain and Germany. A considerable part of the American 
furs was shipped abroad and American buyers went to London and 
Leipzig to procure these furs among others gathered from all parts of 
the world. At the outbreak of the war importations of furs were re- 
duced to a minimum, and American firms as well as foreign branch 
houses started dealing in the American product. The effect of the 
war on the fur trade was, therefore, revolutionary and commercially 
worked to the advantage of the United States. 
Prior to the war, also, auction sales of furs had been held in London, 
but owing to difficulty in transportation as a result of the war, these 
sales began to be held in this country. Conditions have actually been 
reversed, and now not only does the American trade purchase American 
furs in American markets, but foreign dealers ship considerable por- 
tions of their annual collections to the American auction sales, and for- 
eign buyers travel to the United States to purchase their supplies. 
The fur auction sales held in St. Louis and New York City are of 
great importance to the American fur trade. The first St. Louis sale, 
held in 1915, amounted to considerable less than $1,000,000, whereas 
the 1919 winter sale returned $7,924,330, and the sale held in the win- 
ter season of 1921 netted on a declining market $11,000,000. The first 
New York sale, in 1916, returned about a quarter of a million dollars, 
while the winter sale of 1919 totaled $6,000,000; the winter sale of 1921 
on a low market netted $2,000,000. These figures give an idea of the 
tremendous offerings at these sales. 
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JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY, VOL. 3 , NO. 1 
