DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1311#0040
30 THE GREAT EXHIBITION
of the Skinners Company shows that they were worn by nobles and gentlemen. Acts
of parliament were passed, regulating their sale and exportation, which are still unre-
pealed, though in abeyance. Several fine specimens of seal skin were contributed by
Messrs. Nicholay and Son. The fur seal, the supply of which is small compared with
other kinds, is brought to a degree of high perfection in this country; when divested of
the long coarse hair, which protects it in its native element, there remains the rich, curly,
silky, yellowish down, in which state it was formerly used for travelling caps and other
purposes. It is now seldom made use of in this state, but is dyed a beautiful Vandyck
brown, giving it the appearance of the richest velvet; and it is manufactured in every
variety of shape and form, into articles of dress for ladies*, gentlemen's, and children's
wear. Passing from the seal skins, we next observed several groups of chinchilla. The
chinchilla is exclusively a South American animal. Since its introduction into this country
and France, about forty years since, it has continued to be a favourite and fashionable fur.
Its extreme softness and delicacy confine it to ladies' wear. It has lately been largely
exported from this country to Russia and Germany, where it is greatly admired. The
bastard or Lima chinchilla is a short poor fur, altogether very inferior to the other, but
often, to those who are not j udges, substituted for the superior kinds.
Leaving the northern latitudes and the New World, let us direct our attention to
the skins from the tropics, such as lions, tigers, leopards, panthers, Sec., several fine
specimens of which were shown in the Indian department, as well as by individual ex-
hibitors. In China, the mandarins cover the seats of justice with the skin of the tiger.
In this country, the use of the leopard's skin under the officers' saddles is a mark, of
military rank adopted in some of her Majesty's cavalry regiments. In Austria the small
fine leopard's skin is worn as a mantle by the Hungarian noblemen of the Imperial
hussar body guard. Of buffalo robes, or skins, several specimens were exhibited. The
buffalo is killed in immense numbers by the North American Indians, solely for the
tongue, the skin, and the bosses. They have a peculiar method of dressing the skin with
the brains of the animal, in which state it is always imported. It has of late years been
much used in Europe and this country as a warm travelling wrapper, its moderate price
placing it within the reach of almost all classes; and in the colder climates it is similarly
used also for sleigh wrappers, and cloak and coat linings. From Asia Minor we had speci-
mens of the skin of the Angora goat, which is produced in large numbers in that part
of the world, and is remarkable for its long, curly, rich, white, silky coat. It was for-
merly a most costly and fashionable article of ladies' wear, but it is at the present time of
little value. "When dyed, it takes some of the most beautiful and brilliant colours. Its
low price has caused it to be adapted to weaving purposes with success. It is frequently
made into very beautiful rugs for drawing-rooms, carriages, and other purposes.
FEATHERS.
The class in which furs and skins were exhibited also included feathers, the principal
British display of which was by Messrs. Adcock and Co. Among their collection of
feathers for dress, in a handsome glass-case in the British nave, were the several varieties
of the feathers of the ostrich, dressed and undressed, which vary in quality according
to soil and climate. There were some of the finer sorts, such as the Aleppo and
Mogador, made into plumes, as used by the Knights of the Garter, the Knights Grand
Crosses, and the King's Champion at the coronation of George IV. These feathers were
also shown formed into a variety of court plumes, such as have been worn since the
beginning of the century up to the present time, showing the alterations in the fashion
during the last fifty years. Some of the black feathers—which come from the back and
wings of the bird—are made into olumes for military purposes, as used by the Highland
of the Skinners Company shows that they were worn by nobles and gentlemen. Acts
of parliament were passed, regulating their sale and exportation, which are still unre-
pealed, though in abeyance. Several fine specimens of seal skin were contributed by
Messrs. Nicholay and Son. The fur seal, the supply of which is small compared with
other kinds, is brought to a degree of high perfection in this country; when divested of
the long coarse hair, which protects it in its native element, there remains the rich, curly,
silky, yellowish down, in which state it was formerly used for travelling caps and other
purposes. It is now seldom made use of in this state, but is dyed a beautiful Vandyck
brown, giving it the appearance of the richest velvet; and it is manufactured in every
variety of shape and form, into articles of dress for ladies*, gentlemen's, and children's
wear. Passing from the seal skins, we next observed several groups of chinchilla. The
chinchilla is exclusively a South American animal. Since its introduction into this country
and France, about forty years since, it has continued to be a favourite and fashionable fur.
Its extreme softness and delicacy confine it to ladies' wear. It has lately been largely
exported from this country to Russia and Germany, where it is greatly admired. The
bastard or Lima chinchilla is a short poor fur, altogether very inferior to the other, but
often, to those who are not j udges, substituted for the superior kinds.
Leaving the northern latitudes and the New World, let us direct our attention to
the skins from the tropics, such as lions, tigers, leopards, panthers, Sec., several fine
specimens of which were shown in the Indian department, as well as by individual ex-
hibitors. In China, the mandarins cover the seats of justice with the skin of the tiger.
In this country, the use of the leopard's skin under the officers' saddles is a mark, of
military rank adopted in some of her Majesty's cavalry regiments. In Austria the small
fine leopard's skin is worn as a mantle by the Hungarian noblemen of the Imperial
hussar body guard. Of buffalo robes, or skins, several specimens were exhibited. The
buffalo is killed in immense numbers by the North American Indians, solely for the
tongue, the skin, and the bosses. They have a peculiar method of dressing the skin with
the brains of the animal, in which state it is always imported. It has of late years been
much used in Europe and this country as a warm travelling wrapper, its moderate price
placing it within the reach of almost all classes; and in the colder climates it is similarly
used also for sleigh wrappers, and cloak and coat linings. From Asia Minor we had speci-
mens of the skin of the Angora goat, which is produced in large numbers in that part
of the world, and is remarkable for its long, curly, rich, white, silky coat. It was for-
merly a most costly and fashionable article of ladies' wear, but it is at the present time of
little value. "When dyed, it takes some of the most beautiful and brilliant colours. Its
low price has caused it to be adapted to weaving purposes with success. It is frequently
made into very beautiful rugs for drawing-rooms, carriages, and other purposes.
FEATHERS.
The class in which furs and skins were exhibited also included feathers, the principal
British display of which was by Messrs. Adcock and Co. Among their collection of
feathers for dress, in a handsome glass-case in the British nave, were the several varieties
of the feathers of the ostrich, dressed and undressed, which vary in quality according
to soil and climate. There were some of the finer sorts, such as the Aleppo and
Mogador, made into plumes, as used by the Knights of the Garter, the Knights Grand
Crosses, and the King's Champion at the coronation of George IV. These feathers were
also shown formed into a variety of court plumes, such as have been worn since the
beginning of the century up to the present time, showing the alterations in the fashion
during the last fifty years. Some of the black feathers—which come from the back and
wings of the bird—are made into olumes for military purposes, as used by the Highland