Vintage Red Marten Fur Stole 4 Pelts 30s 40s VFG
Elegant ladies of the 1930s and 40s, loved wearing pelt fur stoles. This one uses 4 pelts - one at each end plus two in the middle. There are many ways to wear these - I showed several possibilities on Josephine.
FUR: The former owner thought this was red ermine. I don't think that is correct. My understanding is that most fur pelt stoles are marten, and after researching, I think this is marten. The fur has a soft full undercoat with guard hairs. Color is primarily apricot, shading to a darker red/orange down the center of the back, with dark brown tails. Each pelt has brown grosgrain ribbon holding it together down the center of the belly.
SIZE: Each pelt measures 26-27" from tip of nose to tip of tail, and up to 3" wide.
The entire stole measures 54" long.
CLOSURES: The front pelt has an alligator clip under its lower jaw, which can be used to fasten the stole in whatever position works for you. There are also crochet-covered linked chains sewn into the mid-body os the front pelt and the back pelt, each with a sturdy snap at the end - see closeup.
TAGS: No tags
CONDITION: Price reflects condition. One of the four pelts is missing a rear foot, see closeup. A second pelt - one of the pair in the middle - has open seaming on a rear leg, see other closeup, as well as an opening at the top of the other rear leg. The whitish material you see is batting from inside the leg - see other closeup. These are not stress areas, and look like they could be stitched pretty easily with the right kind of needle and thread. The furs themselves seem to be in good condition - no bare spots or tears, the fur isn't shedding, and the underlying skins feel flexible, not stiff.
I measure the outside of garments, unless stated otherwise.
For menswear, the chest is measured at armpit level.
For womenswear, the bust is measured a little below armpit level, including the room created by darts or gathers.
Waist will be measured if there is one, and hips are measured about 9" below waist level. Sleeves are measured from shoulder seam or an approximation in the absence of a shoulder seam. Garment length is measured from the back of the neck, unless otherwise stated.
The measurement numbers refer to the garment, not the body inside. For best fit, measure a similar type of garment which fits you well and compare.
If the garment is shown on Josephine, my mannequin, her measurements are 31/24.5/34". Sometimes she wears a padded bra. My live models measurements vary depending on the day and year, and I don't ask them to share that.