Vintage Fur Buying Advice

Buying vintage fur can be a great investment. However, like any major purchase, you need to do your homework when purchasing vintage fur. We will present some general advice to help you make a good buying decision.

• Buying from a reputable source is one of the most important points, as some dealers can erroneously mislabel the fur types.

There are actually a few good ways to tell what kind of condition the fur is in, so that you can know if you should buy or not.

• Feel the fur in your hands. It should be supple, there should be weight to it, plus it should not be dried out.
• Be sure the fur has no odor; this can be because of the fur being improperly stored. When fur is stored in a place with too much humidity it will cause a mildew smell. This is a sign the fur is rotting. This is a lasting odor, which won't go away.
• Dry rot, which causes stiff and cracked fur, is another issue to look for in poorly stored furs. For example, if the fur was stored in a cedar closet, the cedar would absorb the moisture from the air, which dries out the fur. Take a look at the shoulders for stiffness or cracking; this is where dry rot begins to show.

Buying vintage fur gives you that cool worn-in look, and can cost less than buying new.