Vancouver, BC -- After disappointing sales of wild furs at the opening of the season, last week's auction by the Western Canadian Raw Fur Auction Sales Ltd. produced promising results with prices advancing from year-ago levels.
"In general, we're very pleased," said Angelo Pappas of the auction company. "Hopefully this is an indication that the market is improving."
Marten, which was the key item of the sale, saw prices down 10% from one year ago but up 20% from earlier this season. Lynx prices were up 20% from last January. Foxes were 10-15% higher, and beavers were up 10% from a year ago. Prices on a collection of 275 timber wolf reached about 20% higher than a year ago, but Pappas pointed out that it was an especially beautiful collection of Arctic timber wolf.
Western Canadian Raw Fur Auction Sales reported the following results (they appear here in U.S. dollars; the exchange rate that day was CDN$1 = US$.7283).
Timber wolf was 85% sold, with prices differing as follows: XL & LG, White & Lt.Gray 1 & 2s -- $291.32-458.83; SL yellow & open gd 2s -- $196.64-254.90; dark & flats -- $109.24-182.01.
| Item | Offering | %Sold | Avg. | Top |
| Marten | 24,000 | 80 | 39.15 | 62.63 |
| Wild mink | 5,300 | 80 | 19.66 | 30.59 |
| Red fox | * | 90 | 18.02 | 35.69 |
| Cross fox | * | 100 | 17.12 | 39.33 |
| Muskrat | 2,000 | 100 | 1.53 | **2.91 |
| Lynx | 300 | 100 | 67.73 | 99.78 |
| Beaver | 1,500 | 100 | 22.58 | 49.52 |
| Otter | 300 | 100 | 48.80 | 64.82 |
| White fox | 1,500 | 90 | 30.59 | 41.51 |
*The total offering of red and cross fox together was 1,000 pelts. ** Early.