DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1311#0032
23 THE GKEAT EXHIBITION
undyed, was shown to advantage in mantles, pardessus, children's dresses, bonnets,
coats, and waistcoats—the latter invaluable for winter wear, as a preservation against
bronchial affections. In the case of these latter, as in that of the buffalo-skin railway-
wrapper, great durability compensates for a trifling increased outlay in the first instance.
The historical miniver may be seen in a great variety of muffs and tippets, with spots
made with the paws of the Astracan lamb, to suit the requirements of modern taste. A
very curious article in this valuable collection was a coat from the hide of a Tartar colt,
but so carefully dressed as to be as soft as seal-skin, and, from the fineness and density of
the hair, completely impervious to wet. It is not a little curious to find the skin in which
a wild Tartar colt once scampered over his native steppes serving, perhaps, as a paletot to
some tranquil commercial gentleman economically travelling in an English second-class
railway-carriage. The beaver was also exhibited in a great variety of ladies' articles.
Formerly the use of this fur in the manufacture of hats rendered it so dear, as to make
it quite unapproachable for any other purpose; but since the great "gossamer" revolu-
tion, the market has become much more easy, and the manufacture has been in a great
measure handed over to the furrier. It dresses beautifully, has fine colour and lustre,
and the density of the pile gives it a very rich and costly appearance. But it is not
only the skins of wild animals alone that the furrier applies to the purposes of his trade.
In this collection were exhibited some beautiful articles in the skin of the grebe, a wild
duck found near the lake of Geneva, and a very costly and beautiful suit made from
the feathers of the egret, a small bird, and so rare and expensive as only to be attainable
by royal wearers. This costly collection was completed by various specimens of wolves,
tigers, &c., carefully stuffed, and adding greatly to the attractiveness of the stand.
Her Majesty visited Mr. Nicholay's stand more than once, and commended many of the
articles. A visit to that portion of the nave in which the British fur-trade arranged
its wares must have convinced the most sceptical that our English furriers, having the
command of the best market for the selection of skins, have also attained the greatest
perfection in dressing these costly and beautiful articles of costume. It may be necessary
to remind the reader, that the greater portion of the more costly furs is supplied by
the Hudson's Bay Company and the North American Company, both of which have
their hunting-grounds in the most northern part of the American continent, and who
bring the produce to London, where, on sales occurring twice or three times a-year, the
furriers of the whole world, Russia among the rest, supply themselves; and it is but
reasonable to suppose that the London furriers, residing on the spot, and having the
wealthiest people in the world for their customers, would not be behind any in the
preparation of articles of the greatest costliness and beauty. To prove that such is
actually the fact, it is only necessary to examine the specimens of the skins of almost
every animal, from the royal lion and Bengal tiger down to the domestic rabbit, from
which the fur section in the Crystal Palace was profusely filled. The greatest show in
quantity, and surpassed by none in quality, was that of Messrs. Nicholay, who hung the
whole front of the gallery with the skins of lions, tigers, bears, wolves, and foxes, dressed
to a beautiful softness, and adapted to a modern exigency by being formed into open
carriage, sleigh, and railway wrappers. It appears that they surpass all other articles of
that description in warmth and comfort, and, although considerably more expensive than
woollen wrappers in the first instance, yet, from their great durability, they become
eventually the most economical wrapper for any one who travels much by open carriage
or rail. Several specimens of the royal ermine were to be found in Messrs. Nicholay's
stall. In the reign of Edward III. ermine and lettice were forbidden to be worn by
civilians, and other expensive furs were permitted only to knights and ladies whose
incomes exceeded four hundred marks annually. Bichard III. and his queen, Anne,
undyed, was shown to advantage in mantles, pardessus, children's dresses, bonnets,
coats, and waistcoats—the latter invaluable for winter wear, as a preservation against
bronchial affections. In the case of these latter, as in that of the buffalo-skin railway-
wrapper, great durability compensates for a trifling increased outlay in the first instance.
The historical miniver may be seen in a great variety of muffs and tippets, with spots
made with the paws of the Astracan lamb, to suit the requirements of modern taste. A
very curious article in this valuable collection was a coat from the hide of a Tartar colt,
but so carefully dressed as to be as soft as seal-skin, and, from the fineness and density of
the hair, completely impervious to wet. It is not a little curious to find the skin in which
a wild Tartar colt once scampered over his native steppes serving, perhaps, as a paletot to
some tranquil commercial gentleman economically travelling in an English second-class
railway-carriage. The beaver was also exhibited in a great variety of ladies' articles.
Formerly the use of this fur in the manufacture of hats rendered it so dear, as to make
it quite unapproachable for any other purpose; but since the great "gossamer" revolu-
tion, the market has become much more easy, and the manufacture has been in a great
measure handed over to the furrier. It dresses beautifully, has fine colour and lustre,
and the density of the pile gives it a very rich and costly appearance. But it is not
only the skins of wild animals alone that the furrier applies to the purposes of his trade.
In this collection were exhibited some beautiful articles in the skin of the grebe, a wild
duck found near the lake of Geneva, and a very costly and beautiful suit made from
the feathers of the egret, a small bird, and so rare and expensive as only to be attainable
by royal wearers. This costly collection was completed by various specimens of wolves,
tigers, &c., carefully stuffed, and adding greatly to the attractiveness of the stand.
Her Majesty visited Mr. Nicholay's stand more than once, and commended many of the
articles. A visit to that portion of the nave in which the British fur-trade arranged
its wares must have convinced the most sceptical that our English furriers, having the
command of the best market for the selection of skins, have also attained the greatest
perfection in dressing these costly and beautiful articles of costume. It may be necessary
to remind the reader, that the greater portion of the more costly furs is supplied by
the Hudson's Bay Company and the North American Company, both of which have
their hunting-grounds in the most northern part of the American continent, and who
bring the produce to London, where, on sales occurring twice or three times a-year, the
furriers of the whole world, Russia among the rest, supply themselves; and it is but
reasonable to suppose that the London furriers, residing on the spot, and having the
wealthiest people in the world for their customers, would not be behind any in the
preparation of articles of the greatest costliness and beauty. To prove that such is
actually the fact, it is only necessary to examine the specimens of the skins of almost
every animal, from the royal lion and Bengal tiger down to the domestic rabbit, from
which the fur section in the Crystal Palace was profusely filled. The greatest show in
quantity, and surpassed by none in quality, was that of Messrs. Nicholay, who hung the
whole front of the gallery with the skins of lions, tigers, bears, wolves, and foxes, dressed
to a beautiful softness, and adapted to a modern exigency by being formed into open
carriage, sleigh, and railway wrappers. It appears that they surpass all other articles of
that description in warmth and comfort, and, although considerably more expensive than
woollen wrappers in the first instance, yet, from their great durability, they become
eventually the most economical wrapper for any one who travels much by open carriage
or rail. Several specimens of the royal ermine were to be found in Messrs. Nicholay's
stall. In the reign of Edward III. ermine and lettice were forbidden to be worn by
civilians, and other expensive furs were permitted only to knights and ladies whose
incomes exceeded four hundred marks annually. Bichard III. and his queen, Anne,