Seattle Shortens Sale
Seattle, WA -- Seattle has shortened its February sale by half a day in order to accommodate buyer travel schedules. The auction house announced last week that the Feb. 18-20th mink sale would conclude by noon Tuesday, Feb. 20. The collection of more than 1.4 million mink will be offered in just two and a half days.
"There is no doubt that this change will enable us to produce better sale results for our shippers," said Ed Brennan, executive vice president of Seattle Fur Exchange. "We recognize the time constraints that our buyers face during this busy period."
The Seattle sale is quickly followed by a sale of American and Canadian mink by North American Fur Auctions in Lyndhurst, NJ, starting Feb. 22. Seattle Fur Exchange feels that shortening its sale by half a day will enable buyers to attend both auctions without missing part of either one. "Our board of directors is very aware that the American and Canadian mink ranchers who are offering their merchandise immediately following our sale will also benefit from this adjustment," said Brennan.
As a further accommodation, it will open for inspection on Sunday, Feb. 11, one day earlier than originally scheduled.
FNY Elects VP
The Fur New York board of directors last week elected Nick Pologeorgis as the organization's new vice president. Pologeorgis has been a board member for three years, and he helped spearhead the fundraising for Fur New York's ad campaign this year. "His hard work and dedication to the fur industry has been inspiring," said co-presidents Stacy Lippin and Karen Moss.
Outgoing vice president is Cliff Miller.
CORRECTION
The list printed last week of fashion designers working with fur inadvertently omitted designer Eric Gaskins. Fur Age apologizes for the oversight. The list (including Gaskins) was compiled by the Fur Information Council of America.
Gala Event
The Canadian fur trade was honored Jan. 26 with a special gala tribute by the Beaver Club, one of Canada's oldest and most prestigious social clubs. Among other Canadian fashion luminaries, Tom Nacos -- president of the Fur Council of Canada Ñ was invited to sit at the head table for the event. See next week's Fur Age for details and photographs.
Winning Mink
Mink ranchers entered a record 104 pelt bundles into the 1996 International Mink Pelt Show, held Jan. 12-13 in Oconomowoc, WI. More than 250 people attended annual event. North American Fur Auctions participated and praised the show organizers "for a tremendous show" and congratulated the winners.
Zimbal Minkery won grand champion with a dark female mink. Judges were Reid Dixon, Larry Frye, Jerry Kreiger, Michael Mengar, Alan Parkinson, John Pagel, John Perrin, Jeff Steinhardt and Jim Wachter.
The following were first-place winners in each category: dark males--Blanke--Wachter; dark females--Zimbal Minkery; dark mahogany males--Westwood Mink; dark mahogany females--Dixon Mink; medium mahogany males--Ross Parkinson; medium mahogany females--Dixon Mink; iris males--Zimbal Minkery; iris females--Zimbal Minkery; ranch wild males--Ross Parkinson; ranch wild females--Ross Parkinson; sapphire males--Zimbal Minkery; sapphire females--Zimbal Minkery; white males--Mueller Mink Ranch; mutation females, pearl/white--Mohoric Mink; pelt judging contest--Diane Dixon.
NAFA Hong Kong Sale
Hong Kong -- Buyers from Hong Kong/China helped push prices higher at a sale of international collection ranch mink held by North American Fur Auctions (NAFA) here Jan. 26. With more than 150 buyers in attendance, largely from China, Hong Kong and Korea, NAFA declared the auction "an outstanding success."
Demi/wild type males and females in the international collection advanced with commercial types showing a full 10% gain. Buyers from Korea and the Baltic strongly supported the mahogany sale, pushing females to higher levels. Black males were firm, while females advanced.
A small collection of American Ultra blue iris and mahogany mink were also offered. The blue iris sold 60% at a male/female average of $60 with better qualities and clear types withdrawn. Koreans were the main buyers. Mahoganies were mainly withdrawn due to high limits and in anticipation of a much large Korean participation at NAFA's New York auction later this month.
The following are results on the international collection as reported by NAFA in U.S. dollars. Averages are for labeled goods only.
| Type | Offering | % Sold | Avg | Top |
| Mahogany males | 15,942 | 100 | 40.65 | 50.00 |
| Mahogany females | 15,549 | 100 | 24.74 | 31.00 |
| Demi buff males | 15,301 | 100 | 41.18 | 44.00 |
| Demi buff females | 19,752 | 100 | 23.06 | 26.00 |
| Wild type males | 40,568 | 100 | 40.98 | 45.00 |
| Wild type females | 39,353 | 100 | 22.21 | 25.00 |
| Black males | 11,951 | 100 | 39.78 | 58.00 |
| Black females | 17,491 | 100 | 22.32 | 30.00 |