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I was wondering where everyone buys Real Fur from? And what is the average price you pay???
I have made a few Real Fur bears but only from coats that people have given me to make them a bear out of. I have bought a couple at Value Village but the prices have gone up considerably!
Jane
Jane , I get most of my fur at thrift shops also. Value Village was a great source, but there hasn't been much fur lately. We have 2 stores here and one has high prices( $200 for a coat) , the other has remained reasonable so far (sometimes $40-50). I prefer mink so it limits my choice, as muskrat seems to be the popular fur here. I have bought off ebay also, but sometimes the fur isn't the quality I expected. You might want to check with furriers for "scraps" or pieces left from alterations. I got some great pieces that way. My bears are small enough that scraps work well.
Good luck with your search.
Little Bear GuyHi Jane,
We usually are able to get fur coats from Value Village, but you are right their prices keep going up and up. They usually have a 50% sale now and then and when they do we usually go in the day before and scope out the coats and see what they have. Then we go first thing in the morning on the day of the sale and try and scoop up what we can.
Also check with your local furrier, sometimes they get some old coats in on a trade in and will sell them to you sometimes at a really good price. Most furriers don't like to try and sell a used fur coat as there is not enough money in it for them.
Ebay is good, but just make sure you ask questions about the coat, whether the fur is soft and the backing is pliable and not stiff. You can get some good deals on ebay.
big hugs
Shane
Posts: 3,540I've gotten 90% of my coats from ebay! And other than a couple of mis representations, they've all been as good if not better than the photos. Granted I tend to eagle eye the pics, and will note broken/missing guardhairs that oftentimes aren't mentioned in the write up. Most of my ebay coats averaged $60.00 but then I also have to throw on about $20.00 for shipping to the US.
I have gotten coats from friends, and on very, very rare occasions, I've been able to find furs in the antique malls. My biggest problem with the antique malls is that they're selling a manky old fur with huge moth holes, dried, the fur falling out.... for $200.00!!! C'mon, I've got a strong urge to grab the shovel and bury the poor thing, not recycle it!
And do be picky about the furs you use. Its one thing to deal with a fragile coat because its the only surviving relic of Aunt Suzie, vs buying a coat to rework into a lifetime treasured ted 
Little Bear GuyJane,
What type of fur are you looking for exactly? We can always have a look in our stash and see what we might have in there, I know we have gotten rid of some furs as we had just far to many. I can also check our stores around here and see what they have. Send me a PM and let me know, I know we have a fair amount of mink, so please let me know we'd be more than happy to help you out.
big hugs
Shane
Back Road BearsHere I've found them in antique shops and even at flea markets.
I am forever having people ask me if I'd like their old fur coats. I finally started saying NO and had to actually sell off a bunch I had. I don't do real fur bears at all any more. Had you posted this question 6 months ago I would have had a whole pile for ya!
Do spread the word that you are interested in real fur coats. Let the flea market and thrift shops and antique shops know. Leave business cards with them. Have a chat with the owners leaving a good impression on them so you'll be stuck in their heads. They may get coats in that aren't in good condition to sell to be worn but might be great to cut up for bears. Without having a source for such coats they are going to turn those coats away when someone brings them in.
Ebay... a great source. One of my peeves is that some absolutely STINK when they arrive at your home. Moth balls is one thing but cigarette smoke, perfume, must.... I've gagged a couple of times! Just something to think about!
Good luck!
Little Bear GuyEbay... a great source. One of my peeves is that some absolutely STINK when they arrive at your home. Moth balls is one thing but cigarette smoke, perfume, must.... I've gagged a couple of times! Just something to think about!
Good luck!
When we spoke to our furrier here in town, they said the only smell you can't get out of real fur is Cigarette smoke. I'm not sure why people store their fur coats with moth balls, moths won't touch fur. Musty smells are something difficult to get out of a coat as well.
hugs
Shane
I just spotted a few on eBay I have no idea about quality and such for real fur, but if you go Bears and then Bear Supplies you should find some, there are also some stoles listed as well here are the ones I just spotted this morning.
Hugs,
Krista
http://cgi.ebay.com/GORGEOUS-FULL-LENGT … dZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-FURS-for-Te … dZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-FURS-for-Te … dZViewItem
VallierBearsIt's a shame here. Our Charity shops like Salvation army no longer sell fur coats due to uproar. The only place I can get a coat from is an antique store. In good contion but very expencive and they don't even know what it is!
Wish I could pick up fur coats as easy as you guys and know what i'm looking for! :P
Richy~
Canna Bear PaintYes, eBay is pretty much the best source. There are some well-established fur sellers, just pay attention to the seller's feedback. Stick with the good ones and you'll be more likely to get exactly what you thought you were getting... in terms of quality, condition and the actual type of fur.
I used to have a second-hand store nearby that I could get good fur coats from. However, we must have bought a few too many at their fantastic prices, because one day the prices skyrocketed! Now they are not worth what they are priced at. Oh well!
The first fur bears my mother made were from a mink stole I bought for $5 at a garage sale. We were very lucky as it was pristine condition, very clean and excellent quality! It's hard to get that lucky all the time, though.
Cheers,
Kelly
BruinwerksHi Jane
Have you tried asking the staff at our beloved Value Village if they have any damaged coats in the back?
I do this for leather all the time. Sometimes its just a torn sleeve or the hem is ratty but lots of usable yardage and they don't put them out. I befriended a staffer there and he always put the damaged stuff away for me to go thru. I'm sure we caught a few stares as this guy and I chatted - a chubby 40 something square with a bored kid in tow and a 20 yr. old with 6 colours of hair and Betty Paige tatoos!
I can keep an eye out for you if there is something special you're after.
Cheryl 
Posts: 3,177I've got loads of the stuff, all been kept in cold storage, cleaned etc etc and i can't bear to touch the stuff - although i agree it looks beautiful.
If anyone want to buy some quality vintage furs, i'll take reasonable offers, let me know but the postage costs are horrendous because they are so heavy. They were all my mums and grandmothers and all are in perfect condition as they have been cared for - not stiff or smelly or infested.
I've got mink, squirrel, coney (wabbit, all colours), antelope, bear (antique - but i can't sell/send overseas and not sure if i can sell it within the UK either - info please girls) and one other that is probably extinct by now but i don't know what it is.
Penny 
Kim-Bee BearsI was in a fur buying stage when I first started making bears... I made three or four and that is enough for me... I have two of them to keep for myself... now I have a whole tote full of it and want it out of my house (it give me the heebie geebies a bit, dunno why LOL)... I know why, I was sitting on the floor going through a bunch that I got on ebay and daisy, my dog was watching me, sitting on the couch. Well, I laid a piece down and it must have "settled" but it MOVED and looked like it was crawling! I let out a squeal because it scared the bejeepers outta me and my dog barked a bark I have NEVER before or never since heard from her and came over and growled at it LMAO... and even though it wasn't moving on its free will, it still freaked me out LOL...
Which reminds me, I have to get rid of that fur! (my asthma has gotten worse in the last couple months so I couldn't work with it even if I wanted to... not sure of what kind of fur it is or the shape it is in either....)
I'll have to keep looking and I will definately talk to my local furrier and to the Value Village Manger. My friend and I both bought coats about 1 1/2 ago at Value Village for $25, now the same coat they want $125 or more! YIKES
What I'm really looking for is a very light pale or creamy or white mink.
Kim that is such a funny story!! I had a similar experience with a foil chip bag that was in a paper bag. When it started to unfold I screamed so hard I woke up the upstair tenant who came down and rescued my from the mouse I thought was in the bag!!! Talk about being embarrassed!!!
Jane
Chaska, MinnesotaHello Jane: I love sewing with real fur. As mentioned above, thrift stores, ebay and furriers are a start. I don't know if you have yard sales (aka garage sales) in your country, but my dad finds tons of fur coats for me at yard sales. It happens that people move from the north to sunny Florida. And guess what, they don't need fur coats. So my dad gets them really cheap. Now another place you may look is in the newspaper under items for sale. Here in the US under the "clothing section" people will place an add for fur coats. Now don't pay a lot of money. It is is a lot, offer your best price. If they need to sell it they will call you. Another idea is just do an internet search for mink pelts (or rabbit pelts) and find a supplier (though I would say, like to recycle the fur myself).
Posts: 3,540Also keep in mind that white/cream or black coloured mink or muskrat will have more interest ....the public seem very keen on these colours, so you may end up having to pay more than say for the normal brown or natural hues.
