What Can I Do With A Vintage Fur?

A friend recently asked if there is a resale market for fur coats Portland. A client was wondering if she should consign or leave it up to the estate sale. Here's my answer:

"Furs are super tough sells. Consigning Women in Lake Oswego consigns fur, but she will have to wait until fall to consign, since it's now out of season. That also means she'll get half the selling price IF it sells. She could make a stab on Craigslist, Vinted, Swap or Ebay first. This is all assuming the fur is in really, really good condition, which usually entails having been stored in a climate-controlled facility. The way the furrier at Nicholas Ungar explained it to me, the pelt's hide is akin to skin: If it has been stored in a closet in a house, chances are it's dried out and beyond repair (as was the case with my Grandmother's fur). If it's stored in an appropriately humid facility, its condition will be better preserved, the fur glossy and the hide supple. So, condition and season are two major selling factors. Then she will need to decide what she is willing to accept, payment-wise. If she finds the condition just isn't up to par, Buffalo Exchange offers to donate furs to animal shelters, though I haven't verified which shelters and how employees ensure the donated furs go exactly where they claim..."

I know fur is very controversial, so those who consign and buy second-hand furs can take solace in the fact they are not contributing to the demand of new fur production. Coats with a conscience, mes Amis!

Vintage fur stored in plastic in a home's closet is probably not the best way to preserve its condition.

Buying second-hand fur, like one of these beauties, will not contribute to the demand for new fur production.