Marten vs sable

[elbas3175]

Can anyone tell me whether marten is different from sable or are they the same thing?

[Guest]

Probably more similar to each other than other types of furs. Sables are essential a type of martin.

 

However there also multiple types of Sable in Russia - each from different regions (different environments and genetic groupings) with different types having fur which is subtley different in terms of fur density and coloring (ranging from the golden sables we know to the darker types), winter changes (e.g. silvering with Barguzine). I've not got it all memorised but a little search on the web eventually find you the info you need ... On top of that comes the grading of the individual bundles of pelts in terms the quality of characteristics for that subtype (higher grades being more prized and expensive).

 

Then there are the baum marten, pine marten and the canadian sable.

 

The main overall characteristics are the overall fur length (moderately long guard hairs with silky texture), high efficiency of the underwool and overall lightness for amount of warmth.

 

Nature truly is an amazing thing!

 

If you're interested in getting a coat of these types of furs (or any for that matter) I would recommend getting to know your product and enjoy the process of shopping around!!

 

All the best!

[mailonfurs]

Canadian Sable (Marten) and Russian Sable (Barguzin) are both sables.

Russian Sable is more expensive by rule.

Both are pretty great in my opinion and we use both, offering the option of choice to our customers

[Guest]

In the fur industry, four types of marten are used. They are stone marten, Russian sable, baum marten, and American/Canadian sable. Fisher is also used. Fisher is Martes pennanti. Same genus but fur is noticeably different.

 

Stone marten is Martes foina. It is native to Europe and Asia. It is also known as beech marten. It is very soft and silky. It is characterized by brown guard hairs and creamy white underfur. Stone marten is trapped in the wild.

 

Russian sable is Martes zibellina. It is found mostly in Russia, with some populations in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, and Japan. It is considered the finest type of marten fur and is unquestionably super luxurious. It is the most expensive fur in the world. Color ranges from light gold to almost black, with reddish, orange, and brownish sables present. Brown is the most common color. The most expensive Russian sable is dark brown in color with many silvery hairs. The fur feels ultra silky soft. The tail is proportionately shorter than the tail of the pine marten and American/Canadian sable. The best sable comes from the Barguzin area, which is the area around Lake Baikal. Before the fall of the Soviet Union, most Russian sable was farmed. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many fur farms lost state support and had to close. As a result, most Russian sable available today comes from wild trapped sables. Russian sable is the only type of marten found on fur farms, and currently, only fur farms in Russia have sables.

 

Baum marten is Martes martes. It is native to Europe and western Russia. The fur industry uses the term baum marten. Zoologists and Europeans refer to it as the pine marten. It comes in a range of color similar to the Russian sable. Baum marten is very similar to Russian sable and the two can be difficult to tell apart. It is a very soft, very silky fur. Baum marten comes from wild trapped martens.

 

American/Canadian sable is Martes americana. It is native to America and Canada. North Americans refer to it as the pine marten and zoologists prefer the term American marten. In the fur industry, American/Canadian sable is used. The finest American marten comes from Canada, and the finest Canadian sable comes from the Hudson Bay area. The finest Canadian sable is almost indistinguishable from Russian sable in color and softness, but Russian sable is just a tad softer and silkier. American marten from the lower 48 states of America, for example Idaho and Montana, is noticeably coarser than marten from Canada. The color ranges from golden to very dark brown. American/Canadian sable comes from wild trapped martens.

 

 

I have handled many Russian sable pelts and American marten pelts as well as a couple of baum marten pelts. From this experience, I think that Russian sable is the softest, followed by baum marten. The American marten pelts that I've handled came from Idaho. I recently bought four Canadian sable pelts from an eBay seller. These pelts were from marten trapped in Québec. They rival Russian sable in silky softness.

 

 

Here is some great info on Russian sable:

 

www.sojuzpushnina.ru/en/c/51/

 

www.sojuzpushnina.ru/en/c/63/