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Interesting Blurb Re: Recycling Furs ...


JGalanos

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Good for her

 

Doing something similar on a very small scale myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OFF

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I saw an Edwaridan fur last year. It was immaculate, supple, and had never been in cold store. I was outbid on it at an auction by a theatre company I think...but it was over 80 years old. It was sheared beaver and mink. So beautifuly structured and no tears or rips, and certainly had no need to be recycled. Oh the bustle; can you imagine?

 

But yes we had fur cushions until the early nineties that were all sorts of victorian and edwardian and pre and post war that my grandmother had recycled. No, they had little to do with my "interest" in fur, apart from identifying which animals they had come from. It was always women in fur not touch that interested me lol!

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100 years? I don't think so. But a mink properly taken care of will last up to half that. Lamb furs like Mouton can last it seems forever. (I know farm animals are technically not a fur)

 

It is the thin hide furs you have to be very careful of, typically the non-water-based animals with longhair like Fox and Coyote. The exterior of the fur can looks great. Underneath the hide will split with the slightest of stress.

 

In trying to make furs lighter, Beaver can now be tanned so thin they are not lasting. I have had one lady bring in a fur several time for splits and the hides seem fine, it is not that old either. Finally figured out the hide was just too thin to hold up to everyday wear.

 

Linda

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I also have a piece of fur from the 17th century that hasn't even oxidised Linda, a royalist soldiers collar; ermine. So they can last though as you say the way they are tanned for lightness could be a factor in deterioration.

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That is amazing, TOS! A collar typically will have few seams and those will have almost no stress. A fur coat is another thing.

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yes I agree. Dust does a lot of damage, as does dry atmosphere. Central heating has destroyed the longevity of many furs.

 

I found the collar in a museum vault; bagged and in a cold place, when I was doing some work there. It was going to be chucked out.

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I took a holiday to Canada in the Autumn and took time out to visit the Harricana shop in Montreal. It is listed in the Lonely Planet guide.

 

They are really friendly and welcoming people who take time out to answer your questions. The products are very high quality and have a young funky cutting edge about them. I think you will find more in the way of accessories and practical items than you would in a traditional shop. There is no way you would know they are recycled. They did a fur lined flying jacket which was very tempting. However prudence prevailed and I didn't buy.

 

If you are lucky enough to be in Montreal - go to Harricana.

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