Vintage furs from the 20’s and 30’s

The decades following the turn of the last century were heady days for fashion designers. Fresh from the Victorian and the Edwardian eras designers were keen to prove a point with the fun-loving generation that made up the Roaring 20's. Furriers in France, Canada and the U.S. opened shops in every major city to supply the in crowd with luxurious outerwear to compliment the styles of the times. The elegant gentleman of the 20's might wear his full length raccoon coat while his date wore her lynx or mink for a night on the town. It was the dawn of the age of the automobile and designers answered with shorter "car coats" that would keep the occupant warm but allow freedom to enter and exit the vehicle with grace.

As the decade progressed the flapper look became very popular and every fashionable young woman wanted a mink stole or a chinchilla muff to compliment her look. Fur lined hats were popular as well as the party goers attempted to fend off the winter chill.

The 1930's heralded in a sense of austerity. Furs became more utilitarian as the world bundled up against the cold. many of the furriers in the city centers closed their doors while a few remained open. Times were hard for the consumer, the retailer and the provider of pelts. Trappers began to rely on their traps to provide food for their families rather than providing for a fickle fur market.

This generation is mostly gone having left their furs to family. These vintage furs are showing up in many venues from second hand stores to online auction houses. Look for a fur that has been stored properly and taken care of. It isn't uncommon to find that some seams have opened, liners have shattered, and some minor repairs to the garment have to be made when purchasing a fur from this era. Bargains can certainly been had especially if you are able and willing to make small repairs yourself.