Principles and Practice of Fur Dressing and Fur Dyeing

by William E. Austin

Broadtail, see Lambs.

Caracul, see Lambs.

Cat, Civet.—9 × 4¹⁄₂ inches, with short, thick and dark under-hair, and silky, black top-hair with irregular white markings. It is similar to the skunk, but is lighter, softer, less full, and has no disagreeable odor.

Cat, House.—18 × 9 inches. Is mostly black and dark brown, the best skins coming from Holland. The hair is weak, coming out with the friction of wear. In the trade, the black variety is known as genet.

Chinchilla.—12 × 7 inches. This is one of the rarest and most beautiful furs. It comes from Bolivia and Peru, where, due to the uncontrolled trapping of the animal, it is becoming scarce, and this compelled the governments to enact laws prohibiting the taking of chinchilla for a certain period. The fur is of a delicate blue-grey, with black shadings, the fur being 1–1¹⁄₄ inches deep. Unfortunately, the skin is quite perishable.

Chinchilla, La Plata.—9 × 4 inches. Incorrectly called “bastard chinchilla” in the trade. It is a similar species to the Bolivian chinchilla, but due to the lower altitude and warmer climate of its habitat, is smaller, with shorter and less pretty hair, the color of the under-hair being darker, and of the top-hair less pure. It is quite as undurable as true chinchilla.

Chinchillone.—13 × 8 inches. Is also from South America. The fur is longer, weaker, poorer and yellower than real chinchilla, but the skins are often dyed in shades closely resembling the natural chinchilla.

Ermine.—12 × 2¹⁄₂ inches. The under-hair is short and even, with the top-hair slightly longer. The leather is light, close in texture, and quite durable. In mid-winter the color is pure white, except the tip of the tail, which is usually quite black. The best skins are from Siberia.

Fisher.—30 × 12 inches, with tail 12–18 inches long. It is the largest of the marten family. The under-hair is deep, and of a dark shade, with a fine dark, glossy and strong top-hair, 2 or more inches long. The best skins are from Canada. The fur is something like a dark silky raccoon, while the tail, which is very highly prized, is almost black.

Fitch.—12 × 3 inches. It is of the marten species, and its common name is polecat. The under-hair is yellow and ¹⁄₃ of an inch deep. The top-hair is black, 1¹⁄₂–1³⁄₄ inches long, very fine and open in growth, and not so close as the martens. The largest and best skins are from Denmark, Holland and Germany. The Russian skins are smaller, silkier, and are usually dyed as a substitute for sable.