A string is broken out into lots.All the lots in a string are the same.
The lots consist of the number of pelts a manufacturer will need for a garment.
For example a string of 1000 identical marten will normally be broken down to lots of 150 pelts each,enough for a couple fur coats.Saves the big international buyer a ton of time and money compared to if he is buying ungraded/un lotted fur from trappers or fur buyers.
Lynx are around 20 in a lot
Top lots can be a small number of skins also.

What do string lots have to do with a final inspection? I’m confused about what you are posting. I understand completely how the grading process works, I don’t understand how your recent post addresses the question at hand.

Yes Therese Demers head marten grader mentioned random inspection not each string.
Also sample lot is indicitave of the string..

In theory, the sample lot represents the string. If grading is really tight, then the sample does represent the string. If grading isn’t tight, then it is any body’s guess what the string looks like. LOL

Why don't one of you guys that are so sure that the grade never changes go by a lot of fur. Take it home, resend it and see if it grades exactly the same.

Not a chance

Not one iota

Zilch

NADA

Grading fur is a lot like grading veneer and saw logs. When I got out of forestry school and purchased logs, the owner always said "grade and scale stay constant" price is what changes.

I have noticed sometimes when the hammer goes down on a lot in the string the next lot of the string may be bid up higher or lower, sometimes substantially so. I always wondered if the lot was quite different from the samples that they looked at. If it was the same sample for the whole string then that theory is wrong.

How many of your friends are BSers? And if you don’t know any graders, how many do you think would say, “this year, I’m gonna call this a semi pale instead of just a semi”. I could maybe see the country buyers screwing around like that….. or me unintentionally….lol.
I pay garbage for fur, and keep telling the few suppliers I got that they should put it up themselves and send them in because that’s all I’m gonna do. I also tell them what I got for their animals. I tell one guy, “I’ll give you $120 for those and hope to get $200ish”……. He says “no no no, just give me 40” and I have to force him to take $80…… not a bad problem I guess….lol

I think the shippers s that accuse FHA of this grading stuff got something against them, got ripped selling to someone else or just have issues (distance) dropping off with an agent and with they were in the club too…..lol

Carl - the buyers only see the sample lot in a string. The bulk lots are already packed for shipping. So your theory is wrong.

The price difference has to do with which buyer needs how many. It has to do with “up” “drop” “out”. Which is too complicated to explain in words. If our paths ever cross, I will explain it in person. It can get to be a 3 ring circus!! It is fun to watch.

I see my fur showed up today….not graded, but the lots are listed.

Shipper grades won’t be posted until the catalogs are all done. Probably the 26th or 27th.

Jake, I have a friend that buys a bit of fur in the country and at the Canadian auctions. He purchased some coyotes one year, had them sent to a business in Winnipeg. Well for reasons only important to him he didn't need them and them sent back to the auction I'm here to tell you they didn't grade the same.

I don't have a problem with how my stuff grades when I send it. Quite happy with the auctions over the years but I ain't eating the company line.

You should sit down and talk with some of the large buyers who purchase fur at the auctions

If he bought fur at North Bay, how does he know if they were graded there or the Winnipeg Depot? What’s a bit of fur, 5 coyotes or a few strings?
If he bought them in North Bay, he won’t know if it was only Darcy grading them, or if some were graded in North Bay. Tough to track.
I’ve talked to a few buyers, but I only know one bigger Canadian one really well, the big dogs are obviously the Chinese……..haven’t talked to them…….lol, but buddies have. A lot of them send brokers, cleans things up and much easier moving fur.

Is it possible to buy 5 coyotes at a Canadian auction?

Are you now saying it depends on who grades them? If it does then it's subjective.

I’m actually not sure, depends on the lotting I guess. Never really looked at the coyote lots.
The grades should all be pretty close if they’re both good at their game. It’s the odd ones that are in between that might be different.
I know for fur compitition, it’s the friggin judges personal preference in the end if things get tight. I won ours again, but the judge pointed out things I did “wrong”. I told him that I like fur that way, and in the end the buyer wants fur, so give him fur. I left the legs on some animals too long for his liking….lol

Ìf you buy fur and send it to get taned and then change your mind about how you are going to finish it that is not on the auction house, YOU SHOULD BE GLAD THAT YOU STILL HAVE A OUTLET TO WORK WITH.

You guys make me laugh out loud sometimes. Guys talk about sending fur to the auction that has been in the freezer for 3 years. Junk.

I know of several retailers who buy fur at FHA,they attend the conventions in summer and winter and put on the fur fashon shows.I talk to them all the time.
Consistent grading is of the utmost importance to them and FHA.If the grading was inconsistent the buyerw would lose confidence in the collection.
They all recognize the consistant grading and lotting at FHA and have been buying fur there for decades.
The top graders at FHA have also been there for decades,a few have worked for both NAFA and FHA over the years some back and forth several times.
They know how to grade a pelt and lot the collection for the benefit of both the producer and buyer as required by the industry.
If they didnt they sure wouldnt still be around since Ontario trappers started our own auction house in 1955.

Fur stored in a freezer for 3 years is NOT junk. Properly stretched/dried pelts that are properly stored are just fine. Most species will dress just fine. They may not grade select but if they were I-IIs going into the freezer, they will be I-II coming out. If you put junk in the freezer, it will come out junk.

I know any number of trappers and dealers that have stored dried pelts for 3 years or more and done just fine when it came time to sell. Yes, they did fine because the market on that species has improved but the pelts are still good enough to bring #1 price.

I seem to recall that Nafa was getting a black eye on their beaver grading being a bit inconsistent, and that FHA had the upper hand in that regard. Heard that from more than one source. That was when I quit shipping beaver to Nafa and only went with FHA. At least for beaver.