fur coat made from 5000 mink throats

[samurman]

Check this one out:

http://books.google.com/books?id=uFYEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA164#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

I had heard of fur coats made from mink paws, fox heads, or lynx bellies, however this is the first time I have come across a fur coat made from mink throats. Weird though it may sound, I think this shows how the fur craftsmen were prepared to go to the extreme lengths in order to conserve as much of the valuable fur pelts as possible.

[Guest]

A sort of fur Tweed look

 

I saw quite a few of those a few years back on eBay.

 

OFF

[Worker 11811]

If you pet a cat or other animal under the chin, it is very soft.

 

I wonder whether, aside from conservation, that fur made form mink throats has that same quality.

[JGalanos]

Wow, that would involve a lot of stitching. I'm guessing such a garment's useful life would be a fraction of that of a well made, let out mink coat.

 

[furcoatman]

Wow, that would involve a lot of stitching. I'm guessing such a garment's useful life would be a fraction of that of a well made, let out mink coat.

 

 

stitching has nothing to do with the life of a coat. the quality and thickness of the pelts is the greatest determining factor. surely you have seen all the stitching in a fully let out coat. throats like any scrap piece don't have a very thick hide and that is what will determine the durability of a coat. the only exception is tails. they are generally have very thick hides.

 

there were quite a few of these sold in the 50's and 60's but you don't see this section segregated out into its own garments. you do see that with paws, tails , heads and bellies.

[JGalanos]

I have always read that pieced furs (not sure how else to reference something made of 5000 tiny pieces of fur) are not as durable as furs made of full pelts. I always assumed that the durability (or lack thereof) was related in part to the irregular (versus more straight/streamlined let out) stitching associated with creating pieced furs. Faulty assumption?

 

[samurman]

OFF, is there any chance you might have some pics from those ebay auctions that you may upload to the gallery?

 

I have a pet project that I have been thinking about it for a long time. I like to call it "fur autopsy" or "CSI the fur version." It involves carefully ripping apart, or deconstructing, fur coats, starting with the lining, observing how the individual pieces are stitched together, and finally destitching them all, ending up with the pieces. I used to follow a German magazine called Auto Show, which would publish long term usage reviews of cars, say 100 thousand kilometers. At the end of this period, they would take the car apart down to the smallest part, and display them neatly over a white background. I would like to place the individual pieces of the fur pelts on a flat surface in a similar fashion, so that people could appreciate how much went into making one fur coat. Such a deconstruction, I believe, could be an invaluable tool to uncover the secret's of the furriers' craft.

[ReFur]

I have done that many times. (The tearing apart. )

 

Problem is, being a fur mechanic is an art, not a science. There were so many incredible techniques I saw used. But, that kind of work can no longer be put into a garment, unless it was a hobby. Plus, it is like anyone who performs a task, like a surgeon, etc. The ones who are really good have done so many it is like watching your grandmother cook. They seldom use measuring cups.

 

My husband and I were so very lucky to be taken into one of the NY Fur District's backrooms. (The Fur district is very closed to outsiders.) We observed and worked hands-on for a week with two very talented backroom staff. He was a Greek fur mechanic in his late 70's and she was a Russian finisher in her 60's. I will always treasure that time. We left knowing enough to admire wonderful work and to know we would never do anything more than minor repairs. The real value came from the experience of seeing an art that is quickly disappearing in North America. I might not be able to be an expert fur mechanic, but I know it when I see it.

[furcoatman]

I have always read that pieced furs (not sure how else to reference something made of 5000 tiny pieces of fur) are not as durable as furs made of full pelts. I always assumed that the durability (or lack thereof) was related in part to the irregular (versus more straight/streamlined let out) stitching associated with creating pieced furs. Faulty assumption?

 

 

pieced furs are definitely not as durable as full pelt, but my point is that is not the number of seams that is the deciding factor. i would also say it has less to do with irregular seams and more to do with inconsistent hides. there is a reason the furriers use the backs and middle part of the pelts for fur coats and it is because the hides are consistent and thicker without being stiff or too thick. they will hold their stitch better over the long run.

[JGalanos]

We observed and worked hands-on for a week with two very talented backroom staff.

 

Cool! I'm sure it was fascinating.

 

I think I mentioned previously that I spent an afternoon at a furrier in the District a couple years ago and was able to inspect several prime bundles of mink and fisher pelts as well as observe them sewing a let out golden Russian sable coat (plus try on multiple coats and jackets).

 

[samurman]

My husband and I were so very lucky to be taken into one of the NY Fur District's backrooms. (The Fur district is very closed to outsiders.) We observed and worked hands-on for a week with two very talented backroom staff. He was a Greek fur mechanic in his late 70's and she was a Russian finisher in her 60's. I will always treasure that time. We left knowing enough to admire wonderful work and to know we would never do anything more than minor repairs. The real value came from the experience of seeing an art that is quickly disappearing in North America. I might not be able to be an expert fur mechanic, but I know it when I see it.

 

I suppose Smithsonian Institute or a similar credible organization could be persuaded to start a campaign to preserve the centuries-old heritage of furrier's craft. I am sure the Greek fur mechanic and the Russian finisher would love to talk to oral historians, fashion academics and social anthropologists, as well as demonstrating their skills in front of a camera for the benefit of future generations...

[Guest]

Here's a coat made from the necks of sables:

 

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-2DIE4-RUSSIAN-SABLE-FUR-SWING-COAT-STROLLER-10-14-/360318764724?pt=US_CSA_WC_Outerwear&hash=item53e4ac06b4

 

 

Tricia