I recently came into a pile of furs from a deceased friend and was wondering what (if any) market there is on tanned Bobcats and Coon? They seemed to be quality tanned and most have feet on.
Thanks Griz

It's not a huge market but you can sell them for many times what they'd of been worth in normal fur market

Native Americans.
Most states have at least one Pow-wow per tribe per year where we’ve set up tables.
Google is your friend.

Bobcat and raccoon pelts are more likely to sell at muzzleloader/black powder events. Think Davy Crockett and his coon skin cap.

Native Americans do not traditionally use those species. They are more apt to buy otter and ermine. Also beaver and fox.

There is a market for tanned pelts. You just need to look around and find something. Another option is ebay, but a lot of folks already use that outlet.

Good Luck.

Are they worth more than they would be "trapper dried"?

They are worth more but you put more into getting them tanned. If you ship them off you pay shipping both ways and pay for the tanning. If you tan them yourself you are buying chemicals to tan them with and then putting in the time to make a decent product. It is not as simple as slop some stuff on them and boom they are done. Each species has its quirks that effect how the tanning process goes. Thick hides have to be thinned, stiff hides have to be broken to soften them up. Then of course you have to find people willing to pay enough to make all that work and input worth it.

Thanks guys, what about leather? I opened a 2nd box and it full of good leather hides. How does a guy price this stuff? I suppose "Google is my friend" here too, but it hard to dicier through the BS and the real thing.
Thanks Griz

Depends on what the leathers are.

Soft leather - like Buckskin for clothing - is usually priced by the square foot. Price will depend on quality, discounted for holes and blemishes. Hides that are almost perfect are difficult to find and will bring a premium price.

If the leather hides were done at a commercial tannery, there should be a size stamping on each hide. Look around all the edges on both sides. It will be 3 numbers - like 103, the third number will be slightly smaller or maybe in a slightly different position. 103 = 10 3/4 square feet.

Awesome thank you for the info!

Sorry no pic, not sure what the heck? When trying to add pic the screen just goes black. I looked into the archives and they were no help. Then tried different computer. Still no luck.

Before selling these skin you may want to test a couple of the skins to see if the skin has acid rotted.
Moisten the skin well in a small area and then tug on the skin to see if it comes apart. If it does, then about the only thing they are good fot is wall hangers; you can't sew them.

I was finely able to get these cats posted. I guess the file was too big. Anyway 2 of these still have feet on and all are still sporting the CITES tags. Do you think there might be interest in these with in the taxidermy trades? Maybe with the garment makers? I'd like to get these into the hands of a craftsman that can do something with them.
Griz

Wow that would be a shame! Where would be the best place to test this? Do you just use tap water and how large of a sample area would you do?
Thanks Griz

^^^^
Maybe on a leg, an area about size of a 50 cent piece, tap water, if all the skins weretanned at the same time a test of one should be ok.

I doubt a taxidermist would be interested in those cats unless the head is properly prepped.

Your best bet is going to be a small craftsperson that makes hats and other items for the black powder market. Not enough pelts for a big time furrier to mess with.

You will get more money selling them one at a time. Selling in bigger groups will be less money but they will be all gone at once.

Do you have pictures of the leather hides?

Yes I do but I was already able to sell those.

Sell em to groney.

Depends on what 'type' of tanning. ( ie: Garment tanning , etc.)
Raccoon, unless they are top quality can be hard to move, unless priced just right.
A lot of tanned 'coon on the market.
Bobcats , again, depends on the region and price. Coastal or southern 'cats can be a hard sell, unless they are beautifully marked.
Leaving the feet on, is definitely a plus though.
The way to gage an asking price, is figure out what the current pelt price is, then add the tanning cost.
Fur sells by looks, above all, remember that !

Yea I got rid of the coon to a guy that wanted to make a pair of gloves. The cats on the other hand seem to be a bit more of a challenge. I will preform the above test this week when I get some time away from work. I guess that will tell me what kind of pelts that I'm dealing with. I would guess that they are a garment tanned from the softness of them but I'm far from an expert. I guess if I have to hold on to these for a few years it won't be the end of the world. People around here like fur and I will find someone that wants a wall hanger sometime.
Thanks Griz