So what about Granny's fur coat?

Fur. Always a dilemma, fur has come into the spotlight once again being seen on celebrities and the catwalks. Fake fur is everywhere on the high street and the market for real furs is growing for the first time in twenty years or so.


This is not a place for a discussion on the ethics of fur, but rather is aimed at answering some common questions. Fur has been so unwearable for the last decades that few people possess much knowedge about types and values and I am frequently asked by customers about a fur “found in the attic”.

So what is Grannys fur coat worth?


Firstly the type of fur dictates value, not every brown fur is mink!! There are a huge variety of furs in use, from the very exotic to the more common. Rabbit or “coney” is probably the least valuable fur, it is quite flat, has little sheen and wears badly. Mink is also very common, it comes in many different colours, from blonde to dark. The value of mink depends on its quality, which varies considerably, the best mink is quite valuable, whereas the poorest retains relatively little value.


Almost as important is the style of garment, the most common item is a “mink stole”. Often these clearly are made from one skin, with head and feet still attatched. These usually have little value (people don’t like to wear things with heads!!). The wider shaped stole, formed to sit over the shoulders is much more desirable. These styles are also found in fox fur, which are usually more valuable than mink, particularly if silver or arctic fox.

Jackets of fur are more desirable than the full length teddy bear coats, which usually flatter no one, as they are more wearable. Coats with interesting details or fur trims are also more sought after.


So back to “Grannys fur coat” well if it is a typical full length “mink” in brown, then it is only going to reach a value equal to its desirability, ie not that much. If however the fur lurking at the back of the wardrobe is unusual, of particularly good quality or in a fantastic style then it could prove quite saleable.


There are many specialist fur dealers, who can give valuations. Fur can be remodelled into an object that can be worn or used if its only real value is sentimental. So firstly find out what type of fur you have (people are often mistaken about fur type – including the original owners), the best resource for this is on the Vintage Fashion Guild . Secondly assess the style; is it wearable? And then assess what it means to you: whatever you decide to do, it doesn’t deserve to sit at the back of the wardrobe!!


One final word of warning, most truly exotic furs (big cats etc) are in fact dyed versions of more common furs. However, the sale of real furs from pretty much all the big cats are banned under international law – and this applies to used fur too!! This means if that leopard coat is real, then unless you have proof that it was manufactured before the laws came into place, and the certificate to prove it, it is illegal to sell it AT ALL!! You can check this out at eBay's pages HERE.