The Vintage Fur Thread

[Miss sofia]

I personally think you should do as you see fit. I would have thought ladies back in the day would have just worn the cape, but it's rather cold at the moment and as i said i think you should do what you please. I have quite often worn a coat to an event and then slipped it off and nonchalantly popped on a wrap or cape i have been carrying. Sometimes said wrap or cape has worked with me wearing it over or under my coat. The important thing is you feel warm and comfortable. I'm sure everyone will be too busy ogling your glamorous self to notice you popping on your cape! If someone does comment, i would just be breezy about it and say you feel the cold and need a little something round your shoulders, but i'm sure no-one will notice. Or you could remove your coat and go to the Ladies and pop your cape on perhaps.

 

[LinaSofia]

thanks Miss S! I'll see how I feel on the night Maybe a pair of elbow length gloves would sort out the chills too!

 

[LinaSofia]

oh! I just remembered something else ... I've recently bought a lovely persian lamb hand muff, I'm not sure of date, but I'd guess it's 20s/30s or even older, and it's so delicate that the first time I used it, it pretty much disintegrated! The skin is crumbling and breaking up beneath the fur... I've hand-stitched and used fabric glue in places to repair it, but every time I handle it I find new areas of damage does anyone have any other ideas for ways to salvage it? I'm guessing the hide has dried out and has become super brittle... perhaps due to storage. Is there any way I could soften the hide without damaging it further?

I've got other items made of persian lamb (a hat and a collar) and they don't have the same problem at all. If nothing else, it's a warning to others when buying persian lamb - don't buy if there are already tears, chances are that it will start tearing all over once you move it about!

 

[Miss sofia]

No worries Lina!

Actually persian lamb is a real bummer for disintegrating. You're not alone. We had a beautiful coat, i mean a real beauty that my colleague bought. She decided to try it on and the whole of the back part ripped. Not evenly either or along the seams!! Sadly if fur and lamb is not stored correctly it doesn't stand the test of time. It is prone to drying out, hence why cold storage is the way forward. One trick i have learned when buying fur is to really give it a good tug about. Sometimes difficult if one is in a shop and sales people are looking, but give the seams a little tug, it should feel supple and stand a bit of agitation. If you have a coat or wrap etc, where you can slip your hand beneath the lining onto the leather, feel and give that a tug about too. If it feels really dessicated, it's not going to be worth having. If if try on fur coats, which i always do if i'm going to buy them for home or work, i always put my hands in the pockets and wriggle them about, bend over and move about it them etc. Sorry to sound school marmish, but it was advice given to me by a great pal who is an antiques roadshow expert and deals in alot of clothing and accessories. (I'm not name dropping either, honest...).

I don't know what to say about your hand muff Lina, it sounds like it is pretty far gone. The only thing is to keep it as cold as possible. Perhaps if you could detach the lining you could try to oil the hide side, but if fear that would only cause further damage. Could you perhaps lightly spray some oil, diluted possibly, say almond or a dry oil of some kind onto it to soften it up. I might even give it a go in the freezer, seeing as it's a small item and already damaged. I mean cashmere jumpers fare ok in the freezer, so i don't see why your lamb shouldn't.

 

[Miss Flora]

Just saw this thread and I'm not sure how I missed it! So, may I ask a couple of fur-keeping questions?

I have several beautiful fur and fur-cashmere coats, collected over the years. The real beauty is my great-grandmother's seal coat, a boxy 1940s style with mandarin stand-up collar.

Here's my dilemma: they are currently stored in my parents' attic in Nebraska. I know this isn't ideal, especially since the attic is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Despite that, they seem to be holding up just fine, minus a couple a small moth hole from a vagrant moth. However, I have since moved to the mountains of Colorado and live at an elevation of 7,522 feet. It is very dry. In fact, my djemba drumhead split after a thunderstorm due to the extreme changes in humidity.

So the question is....What do you all suggest? I would love to move them to Colorado and wear my furs again. But I don't want them coming to ruin, whether here or in Nebraska. Should I just give up and sell them? I'm completely miffed about what I should do.

 

[LinaSofia]

Welcome Miss Flora, I wish I had some advice to give, but I'm really no expert on this! I suppose you could get a humidifier for the room where you store them? If the air is very dry... others might have better advice.

Miss S - thanks again for some very good advice! I shall definitely tug it about a bit before buying in the future! I bought the muff online, which is where it all falls down, but I guess it's the risk you take for a bargain!

I also have a question that is only fur-related, but still seems appropriate for this thread... does anyone wear fur clips? I recently bought this:

But I wasn't too successful in attaching it. I guess you attach it like a dress clip, on the collar? Is that the only way you would wear it? It didn't attach very nicely so I'm afraid I didn't wear it on my stole, I attached it to my dress instead! (conveniently it was a broderie anglaise fabric so the prongs went in the holes! )

 

[Miss Flora]

Lina, no worries! Your idea sounds like it would be a good one. We've talked about running a humidifier anyway, just to keep from turning into raisins!

I love your new fur clip! Not sure how one would wear it. I think attaching it to your dress is fine. Otherwise, I suppose you attach it to the fur whever you'd like and wear it like a brooch or pin? Just a guess.

BTW, you are absolutely GORGEOUS!

 

[Mrs Chaddsley_Corbett]

A Little off topic I know but I love this picture of Twiggy

 

[fortworthgal]

I do not wear real fur, vintage or new, but I own several vintage faux furs, mostly French Tissavel. Does that count?

 

[HadleyH]

I do not wear real fur, vintage or new, but I own several vintage faux furs, mostly French Tissavel. Does that count?

In my book it certainly does!

Good on you fortworthgal :eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap

 

[Jools]

Re: getting harassed for wearing vintage furs : it's a lot easier to attack old ladies in mink coats at the opera than it is Hells Angles at biker bars for wearing leathers.

 

[Nomanolo]

I got a message from someone, about my foxes here is a picture where the three of them are hanging in my clothing room:

I must say I adore them, they all have names (Fred, Vincent and Nol) and I honestly cherrish them.

 

[Miss sofia]

They are lovely Missis, i particularly like the silver fox. How funny, mine have names too. Even the ones without body parts attached. I am respectful of the fact that a creature died to keep me warm and looking glam, so perhaps in some small way i am trying to be respectful and remember they were a living, breathing thing once by giving them a name and talking to them. Or am i just nuts?

 

[RodeoRose]

Nomanolo those are gorgeous! You must look so glamorous when you go out in them!

I definitely have names for my little mink family, lol. They have faces, I can't ignore that! Though I'm not very original... my favorite double-mink stole are just Mr. and Mrs. Mink. They really come in handy for impromptu puppet shows.

 

[Retro_GI_Jane]

We were out browsing the antique mall in our area this weekend and I found a child's stole and hat. I so badly wanted it but I doubt my daughter would wear it any where other than for her playtime when she's dressing up. Not that I wouldn't have minded having something like that when I was a kid to dress up in too...it did still have the head on it and I could definitely see her naming hers like a cherished pet too.

 

[Louise Anne]

I got a message from someone, about my foxes here is a picture where the three of them are hanging in my clothing room:

I must say I adore them, they all have names (Fred, Vincent and Nol) and I honestly cherrish them.

I once was offered a fur stole with a head and feet on, an even with my liberal attitube I did wonder if that would be asking for trouble in a different way to a fur coat , I sometimes think people cannot tell the differance between if a fur is real or not these day at a glance where. It's a sorry fact that there is alwys some one who will love to pull some one to bits, are they perfect who knows most liky not.

 

[AdrianLvsRocky]

I have nothing against fur and, more to the point, I have nothing against other people's personal opinions. However.......

There's something about the stoles with heads and feets that freaks me out a bit. It's almost definitely because I have a bit of thing about stuffed animals. Again - I have no moral or ethical issue with them, they just make me feel funny!

Saying that, if I did have one, I would undoubtedly name it. I name EVERYTHING so an "almost pet" would definitely get a name.

Do they have the glass eyes? I think it may be the glass eyes thats worst of all for me.

 

[LinaSofia]

I have nothing against fur and, more to the point, I have nothing against other people's personal opinions. However.......

There's something about the stoles with heads and feets that freaks me out a bit. It's almost definitely because I have a bit of thing about stuffed animals. Again - I have no moral or ethical issue with them, they just make me feel funny!

Saying that, if I did have one, I would undoubtedly name it. I name EVERYTHING so an "almost pet" would definitely get a name.

Do they have the glass eyes? I think it may be the glass eyes thats worst of all for me.

You know, I agree with you... I make no judgements about others having them, and they have a strange allure for me too, I like looking at them, but there's also something a little scary about them and I'm not sure I'd like to wear one myself. It's a bit like people who can't eat whole fish if it's got the head still on it, but happily eat a fish finger lol

 

[Miss sofia]

That made me laugh out load Lina! I might have to borrow that little nugget for work. We do get people who are a little freaked out by the tippets and capes with heads and tails attached. I do agree their is a strange allure to them. Oddly children are rather fascinated by them, it seems to be adults that find them more sinister. Maybe it's because they are only a step away from being a cuddly toy that the kids seem to like them!

 

[Retro_GI_Jane]

I do agree their is a strange allure to them. Oddly children are rather fascinated by them, it seems to be adults that find them more sinister. Maybe it's because they are only a step away from being a cuddly toy that the kids seem to like them!

Actually, I do have a bear that my late grandmother gave me when I was still pretty young made by a lady she knew from a vintage fur coats that could no longer be worn or wasn't wanted. She had one made for each of us girls. I give it a squeeze every now and then because it reminds me of her and is so cuddly.

Though now that I've been reading this thread, I'm concerned I'm not taking care of my bear since it's real fur. It does feel somewhat dry on the head more than I remember. Anyone have tips on how to take care of this?