I'm wondering at what point will the trade require FHA to separate out northern and southern beaver. Obviously size for size a damaged northern beaver will yield far more felt than a flat southern one. I'm thinking they're not going to want to pay the same for them once some degree of the desperation for supply dissipates.

Right now it appears they get the same money.

If and when they do, will the hatters pay more for heavies is the real question. Presumably so. On a similar note it would probably be surprising how flat OR beaver would look next to AK beaver.

During the early 90's I sold a bunch of Willamette river beaver to Vegasjim on here who was moving them to the Alaska sewing trade. He always was impressed with the size but would exclaim: "Where's the hair"!

ON the Oregon coast I would say that probably most grade semi-heavy with some even getting graded as heavies.

Sorry BP, the word I got was your beaver would not make the grade. My bad!

Watcha sorry about? No skin off your knuckles right?

remember i was thinking buying from you.

The striking thing to me is the length of both guard hair and under fur on AK beaver, not so sure about the density. In other wordsIm not sure that AK beaver have a higher count of under fur per square inch.

A shorter nap but otherwise prime and dense beaver makes a fine hat for sure. It would get down to a matter of taste; longer fur or shorter.

Talking about a fur hat here, trapper style.

I'm just thinking about how much actual felt they get off of a beaver. I wouldn't be surprised if it wen't double the amount of usable felt from northern beaver compared to the deep south version of a beaver. These guys aren't dumb, they won't want to pay the same $$$ for half the felt.

Yep. I remember. No worries though...pretty easy to sell beaver these days.

There is a durability factor in trapper style hats. IMHO. Thicker leather and longer, stiffer guard hairs make them more durable. Same with mitts. My understanding is AK beaver have thick leather and long stiff guard hairs compared most other sections.

BP: Could be why your beaver did not bring as much at Klamath ? They did not make the grade. I do not know enough to say what is the difference in hatter quality beaver according to region. I would think at some point the trade certainly would have a tighter grade and FHA would need to lot them that way. Especially if they get expensive. At this point maybe they are cheap enough and the numbers of skins so low the buyers do not care.

NAFA didnt weight western beaver i remember right? Cant remember the reason off hand

They wont be in the same lots,the lots will be separate although may have the same grade description,similar to fall heavys and winter heavys,will be in separate lots but both a hvy grade.

I actually had a pretty high % of semi heavies there. We didn't have any buyers was the main issue I think.

But all the lots sold for identical money...at least they did in the June sale.

Wondering the same thing. Southern have thicker skin but the northerns have the thicker under coat.

But all the lots sold for identical money...at least they did in the June sale.
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These things happen at the auction-do you remember the otter market when sec 3 sold as much or higher than sec1?

Pretty normal for same graded lots to sell for same price. Not unusual; normal

No not normal,there can be different character of fur between lots in a string.Like fall,winter or spring hvys.
May not make much difference for felt.
Same with long haired fur-ie-early II's or Late II's much different character of fur but all are graded II's but are separated in the string.
Why in person auctions are preferred by certain buyers.