Vantaa, Finland -- Both fox and mink pelt prices advanced again at the Feb. 5-7 Finnish Fur Sales auction here. Blue fox was up 15-30% from December (at which time they were up 20-40% over a year ago). Brown and black mink increased 20-30% from December.
Attended by 370 buyers from all markets, competition at the sale was very strong, with Korea, Russia, Hong Kong/China and Europe all major participants.
Blue fox size 000 advanced 15%, size 00 advanced 20% and size 0 30%. Korea and Hong Kong/China were the main buyers with support from Germany and Japan. The top lot was purchased by Jin Bao Lai of Liao Yang Shi Xin Xing Leather Garment Factory, China.
Blue shadow fox sold in line with blue fox, mainly to Korea and Hong Kong/China with support from Japan and Europe. The top lot was purchased by Liu Yu Tian of Xian Ming Sen Da Fur (Group) Co. Ltd., China.
The season's first offering of silver fox sold 73%, mainly to Greece, Russia, Korea and Germany.
New mink pelt price levels were established. Scanbrown males and females advanced 25%. Males were sold to Russia and Korea, and some to Greece; females went to Hong Kong, Korea, Italy and some to Russia.
Mahogany males and females advanced 30%; males went to Russia and Korea, females to Korea and Russia and some to Europe. Scanglow males and females advanced 25%; males sold to Hong Kong, Korea, Russia and Italy, while females were taken by Italy and Hong Kong and some by Korea.
Scanblack males and females advanced more than 20%, with the biggest increases in large sizes and lighter colors. Russia, Korea and Hong Kong were the main buyers.
Sapphire males advanced 20%, females 25%, and white males and females 15%. Russia was the main taker of sapphire males, Korea the main buyer of sapphire females, and whites went to Hong Kong. Pastels sold at strong levels, but no comparison was available; the main buyers of males were Korea and Russia, while females went to Italy.
A collection of 67,000 Afghan karakul was almost 70% sold with prices advancing 5% for grays and 10-15% for the blacks. Buying was well-spread.
Finnraccoon advanced as much as 40%. Buyers were primarily from Germany, Korea and Hong Kong/China, and some from Italy. The top lot went to Wetschke & Ziegas for Bardtke & Scherer, Dachau, Germany.
The following are auction results as reported by Finnish Fur Sales in U.S. dollars. The far right column offers averages achieved at the Finnish Fur Sales auction held in December, 1995.
| Item | Offering | %Sold | Top | Avg | Dec. |
| Sapphire males | 9,302 | 100 | 99.50 | 75.50 | 66.00 |
| Sapphire females | 5,922 | 100 | 66.25 | 53.75 | 45.25 |
| White males | 13,297 | 100 | 59.75 | 50.00 | 44.25 |
| White females | 12,676 | 100 | 27.75 | 25.75 | 21.75 |
| Mahogany males | 89,797 | 100 | 73.00 | 46.25 | 40.50 |
| Mahogany females | 72,849 | 100 | 34.25 | 27.00 | 21.00 |
| Scanblack males | 158,292 | 99 | 68.50 | 47.50 | 38.00 |
| Scanblack females | 138,130 | 99 | 34.25 | 25.25 | 21.25 |
| Scanblack velvet males | 2,186 | 100 | 52.00 | 42.50 |
| Scanblack velvet females | 2,314 | 100 | 31.50 | 27.50 |
| Scanbrown males | 121,500 | 100 | 59.75 | 46.75 | 39.00 |
| Scanbrown females | 142,930 | 100 | 29.26 | 25.50 | 20.75 |
| Scanglow males | 128,939 | 100 | 59.75 | 46.75 | 38.50 |
| Scanglow females | 101,601 | 100 | 32.75 | 26.00 | 22.00 |
| Pastel males | 11,230 | 100 | 54.25 | 46.75 |
| Pastel females | 10,805 | 100 | 29.25 | 25.50 |
| Black cross males | 4,888 | 100 | 44.25 | 39.25 | 39.00 |
| Black cross females | 3,251 | 100 | 25.75 | 22.50 | 24.50 |
| Blue fox Total | 293,672 | 100 | 287.25 | 161.00 | 140.50 |
| Polish blue fox | 22,224 | 99 | 157.00 | 84.50 | 73.50 |
| East European blue fox | 23,055 | 98 | 106.00 | 53.75 | 52.75 |
| Blue shadow fox | 19,773 | 100 | 265.25 | 158.25 | 125.25 |
| Blue shadow white fox | 2,664 | 100 | 190.00 | 151.25 | 93.50 |
| Silver fox | 44,208 | 72 | 132.50 | 97.00 |
| Shadow blue frost fox | 1,766 | 100 | 137.00 | 121.50 |
| Gold fox | 1,642 | 98 | 57.50 | 42.75 |
| Gold cross fox | 809 | 38 | 55.25 | 38.00 |
| Platinum fox | 805 | 100 | 75.25 | 50.50 |
| Afghan karakul gray | 25,414 | 97 | 17.25 | 15.00 | 12.25 |
| Afghan karakul black | 14,788 | 93 | 16.00 | 11.50 | 10.00 |
| Afghan karakul brown | 1,194 | 100 | 17.75 | 16.25 | 13.00 |
| Broadtail karakul gray | 17,476 | 16 | 7.50 | 5.75 | 13.50 |
| Broadtail karakul black | 6,126 | 12 | 12.75 | 11.50 | 11.00 |
| Broadtail karakul brown | 1,908 | 22 | 8.75 | 6.75 |
| Finnraccoon | 23,105 | 98 | 117.25 | 96.25 | 66.25 |
| Polish finnraccoon | 3,209 | 19 | 42.00 | 25.75 |
| Fitch male | 14,668 | 96 | 17.75 | 13.75 | 13.00 |
| Fitch female | 4,176 | 100 | 14.50 | 11.50 | 9.75 |