Marten fur

Pine marten fur on the left, stone marten fur on the right
(the pine marten's throat patch is more yellow than the color-changed photo shows)

The fur trade means by Marder coat primarily the skin of the tree marten , as Edelmarder referred to as well as the stone marten , two animals of the genus Real Marder . He follows the colloquial language, in fact both types of fur are traded under their generic names. As the name suggests, the silky noble marten fur is regarded as particularly noble and valuable, the coarser and less dense stone marten fur is rated lower. Other, more or less common names, such as gold or yellow throats or gold neck, in Russian "soft silky marten", indicate the different hairs.

Both species of marten have always represented a very valued fur, of the fur animals native to Central Europe, they always took the preferred rank. The pine marten was not always the most valued fur, the evaluation in the trade came off several times. At the turn of the 20th century, the stone marten brought the better price, from around 1910 the pine marten was paid better. This remained so until after the Second World War , when stone marten were again particularly in demand and were considerably more expensive than pine marten skins. However, the demand came primarily from abroad.

The main distinguishing features of the two martens are the silky, finer hair of the pine marten, its darker, richer color, the hairless paws of the stone marten and the throat patches that differ in shape and color. The latter, however, are not an absolutely certain characteristic of one species or the other; they vary too much for both martens. The fur of the pine marten is more closed, well covered compared to the much more open fur of the stone marten. In the stone marten, the guard hairs or guard hairs are less dense on the back and sides, they do not close the undercoat below so evenly that it does not shimmer with its lighter color similar to that of the polecat skin , where this is, however, much more pronounced . Mostly from gray-white to brownish-gray in color, the undercoat together with the brownish-reddish guard hairs give the stone marten fur a blue-gray or brownish-gray tone of "milk chocolate-like" character, in which, however, bluish and reddish, even purple-like shades occur. With the pine marten, the predominant basic tone can be described as brown, a mostly rich, shiny color that can, however, have some changes, all possible transitions from very light, almost yellowish or red-brown to deep dark chestnut brown. The undercoat of the pine marten is dull yellowish-brown or gray-yellow in color, but sometimes it also has a more gray-blue color.

The occurrence of tree marten and stone marten is largely the same, the pine marten lives a little less south, but more north than the stone marten. Most of the Russian marten pelts come from northern Russia, followed by the Caucasus and the Urals , while the stone marten are mainly found in the Caucasus and are otherwise still found in large numbers in Central Asia.

Tree or sable fur

Pine marten cape with tails, Debenham & Freebody, London (1921)

Except in Europe, pine marten are widespread as forest dwellers from the White Sea to the Caucasus and east to the Ob and Irtysh , also in Asia Minor and Iran. The limit of their northern occurrence is about 40 degrees north latitude.

Fur (tree or noble marten)

Coat color

The fur is 48 to 53 centimeters long, the bushy tail 23 to 28 centimeters. The largest species is the Caucasian pine marten with a head body length of 50 to 58 centimeters and a tail length of 20 to 25 centimeters. A smaller subspecies exists on some Mediterranean islands ( Sardinia and the Balearic group ). This is lighter colored with an isabel colored face and a vermilion throat spot.

The basic color of the tree or noble marten is a shiny brown evenly distributed over the entire body with transitions from yellowish brown, almost beige to deep dark nut brown or chestnut brown, the dewlap is often lighter in shade. The tail is darker. The throat patch, which extends from the corner of the mouth to the chest, is yellowish to reddish-brown (white in the beech marten), sometimes also yolk yellow and stands out more or less strongly from the rest of the fur, the shape is usually more rounded than in the beech marten and almost never forked. Often it takes the form of a bib. In addition, the pine marten can sometimes have a whitish-gray to yellow stippled or whitish-gray to white throat spot, but also have jagged and forked shapes, as are generally typical of the stone marten.

Between the hind legs there is a reddish spot, which is lined with dark brown and from which a dirty yellow stripe sometimes extends to the throat. The feet and tail are dark, sometimes almost black. The almost triangular ears with rounded corners have a grayish-yellow color border on the edges. In Central Europe, the nut-brown colors generally predominate in yellowish-gray to yellowish-brown undercoats. The young are born with gray fur and light-colored throat patches, but are already the color of a tree marten in the first month. The hind legs are relatively long.

Apparently, spotty pelts are also more common. In 1844 it was written that these spots of the less valued quality were called "honey spots" by the German furriers and hunters. It is believed that they arise when the animal licks itself after stealing and eating the honey from the bumblebees.

Fur structure

Typical for the thick, soft and shiny hair of the pine marten are long guard hairs and a short, strikingly fine and soft undercoat, which is light gray on the front, yellowish on the back and sides. There are four rows of whiskers on the upper lip, as well as bristle hairs under the corners of the eyes and on the throat. The upper hair is about 60 to 70 millimeters long, on the tail 80 millimeters, the lower hair is 30 to 40 millimeters long. In contrast to the stone marten, the soles of the feet of the pine marten are very hairy.

Compared to the very similar sable, the pine marten fur, which tends to be slightly coarser, appears a bit more shaggy and the “water”, the fine silvery hairs distributed over the entire fur of the sable, is missing.

The hair is changed twice a year, in October / November for darker, denser winter fur and in March for summer fur. The hair change affects shoulders, back and the other parts of the body one after the other. The summer coat is flatter and darker due to the weaker undercoat. The quality is already decreasing at the end of January, for example with the Bavarian and Tyrolean varieties. The strength of the hair then begins to decrease (secondary goods).

The durability coefficient for pine marten skins is given as 40 to 50 percent. When the fur types are divided into the hair fineness classes silky, fine, medium-fine, coarse and hard, the pine marten hair is classified as silky.

Trade of pine marten fur

The specialist trade distinguishes the appearance of the skins mainly in three regions: Europe, Asia Minor and Asia.

The largest pine marten is the Caucasian. The best skins come from Scandinavia (best Norway, almost the same, only sometimes a little lighter from Sweden), with very long and thick hair. Northern Russian, Caucasian and Ural pelts are sometimes a bit coarser in the hair, but have a high shine and good colors. Very good skins also come from the Alpine region, Tyrolean and Swiss are of the same quality as certain Russian occurrences. This is followed by the yellow to dark brown German martens, of which the Bavarian ones are the best. Ordinary Russian and Polish, while relatively silky, are not as good in color. They are often re-colored. Southern pine marten, like the often dark-colored Italian, Hungarian and Turkish ones, are sometimes also silky, but mostly smaller and narrower. Despite the widespread use, the differences in color between animals from different areas are not essential, but they are important for the fur value.

Lady with pine marten heads (16th century)
Hans Urmiller with stone marten lining and cap (1525)

Colours

All possible designations are used as color description, such as: 1. Color or color A. etc., but also specific designations such as dark blue, dark blue brown (skins of the best color) blue, blue brown (as the next best color) brown, red brown, reddish brown, light brown etc. . (for skins of the following colors), and the definitions extra dark, dark, medium-colored, light, off-color and off-color are used. In order to evaluate the skins it is important to know the colors corresponding to the origin of the marten.

Color designation	Characteristic of the color of the coat
1. Dark blue	Dark chestnut hair blanket with blue shading; Gray-blue wool on the scalp and light gray on the tips.
2. Blue	Maroon hair blanket with blue shading; Gray-blue wool on the scalp and light gray on the tips.
3. Dark sand colors (dark sand yellow)	Dark sand colored hair blanket with a brownish shade. Wool gray on the scalp and light sand colored on the tips.
4. Sand colors	Sand-colored hair blanket with light yellow shading; Wool gray on the scalp and yellowish on the tips.

Come here

Northern Europe: Very smoke. Predominantly dark brown. Finest varieties.

Norwegian and Swedish martens are also sold as Nordic martens.

Central Europe

Smoke to very smoke. Yellow-brown to dark.

Alps (Switzerland, Tyrol)

Big, very smoke. Medium-colored to dark.

Western Europe

Small. Flat. Light to dark, Spaniards darker.

Southern Europe (Italy)

Small. Flat. Light to darker.

Sardinia, Balearic Islands, Southern Italy : length of head body 45 centimeters. Lighter, face isabel colored, throat spot vermilion.

Southeast Europe (Balkans): Small to medium in size, stocky. Mostly dark.; In the middle of the 19th century, the pine marten from the Sable Mountain in Mittelkrain were particularly mentioned, they were numerous and so beautiful and sable-like that their skins were sold as sables.
Eastern Europe: Big to very big. Smoke, mostly silky. Light to dark.

Mountain martens are larger in all occurrences and better in quality and color than lowland commodities.

Game assortment:

I and no. 2 = winter goods and late winter goods

II = early winter goods and early spring attack 4: 3 *

III = autumn and spring goods, so-called transition 2: 1 *

IV = undersized, damaged and very flat skins; called rinds in trade. Covered rinds, which are usually rated 4: 1 *, were in great demand as feed items.

* (4 heads are worth 3; 2 are worth 1, etc.)

a) According to the Russian standard are sorted:

Origin (provenances):

Cubans ( Kuban area , West Caucasus), North Caucasian, Western, Murmansk, Northern, North-Western, Ural, Kazan, Central Russian

Sorts:

I = full-haired, II = less full-haired, III = half-haired

b) Hudson's Bay and Annings Ltd. London

Come here:

Scandinavia etc.

Sorts:

I & II, Damaged

The raw hides are offered at the auctions with round stripes, today only with the hair on the outside.

The annual amount of pine marten pelts was given as a maximum of 50,000 in 1988.

Pine marten are also offered as sable at Scandinavian tobacco auctions (“Norwegian sable”). For some time a certain type of hair found in Russia was traded as kidu , but it was assumed with some certainty that it was pine marten. For more information, see sable fur .

Beech marten fur

Part of a stone marten scarf (England, approx. 1930–1940)

Two beech marten jackets (Rötz, 2018)
"Biker jacket"
"Velvet marten" (upper hair removed)

The distribution area of the stone marten largely corresponds to that of the pine marten. It occurs a little less north, but more south than the pine marten, especially in the warmer countries of the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. It does not exist in England and Ireland, not even in Scandinavia, the Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. In Asia it only inhabits certain areas, including the Crimea, the Altai Mountains and in the Caucasus mainly the Don and Volga lower reaches, northern India, Mongolia, Manchuria and Tibet.

Fur (stone marten)

Coat color

The color of the stone marten is reddish-gray-brown to bluish-gray or -brown, similar to milk chocolate, it varies little in the area of distribution. It is lighter and not as pure as the pine marten, the belly is much lighter than the back, and there are often reddish tones. Depending on its origin, the fur has different shades. The throat patch is noticeable, it is white (yellowish-brown in the pine marten), it can be very different in shape as well as in extent, it is usually forked or jagged. The paws and tail are predominantly dark brown. The shorter hairy head is more pale brown or gray-blue.

Fur structure

The hair is long, fine to coarse, shiny, very soft, dense to very dense. As with the polecat, the upper hair does not cover the very short but dense whitish undercoat ("open" coat), so that it shines through, especially on the sides, but also on the back. The guard hairs are coarser and more rigid than those of the pine marten. The stone marten is usually smaller than the pine marten, it has shorter legs and smaller ears but a longer head and the soles of the feet are hairless. The leather is stiffer, thicker and less quick to process than the pine marten.

The hair change takes place in spring and autumn.

The durability coefficient for stone marten skins is given as 50 to 60 percent. When the fur types are divided into the hair fineness classes silky, fine, medium-fine, coarse and hard, stone marten hair is classified as fine.

Trade of stone marten fur

Depending on the origin, the skins are shaded lighter or darker. The darkest and bluest skins fetch the highest price.

The best quality comes from Bulgaria , Russia (especially from the Caucasus , "Cubans") and from Armenia (Erzerum and Ararat regions). Greece and Turkey also provide good skins. Russian beech martens are particularly large, often very dark, but often coarser in the hair. Dark skins also come from the forests of Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Balkans, Italy, France, Spain and Belgium.

Russian and Ukrainian traditions (standard):

1. Caucasian, 2. Middle Asiatic, 3. Bukhars, 4. West Ukrainians

Sorts:

I = full-haired, II = less full-haired, III = half-haired

Game assortment

There are four varieties here. Damaged and sub-varieties (brackish) are rated very low. The tails can be used for making brushes.

I = flawless winter skins

II = with small blemishes 4: 3

III = smoke, but thin skins 2: 1

IV = the covered flat ("rinds") 4: 1

According to “ Jury Fränkel's Rauchwaren-Handbuch”, a maximum of 50,000 pelts a year came onto the market around 1988, like the pine marten.

history

Praying man with fur lining made of stone marten or stone marten throat fur (ca.1480)

Marten fur was already in great demand in the Middle Ages (6th to 15th centuries). As is still the case today, the sable was the most valuable, followed by the pine marten and already less respected the stone marten. Only around 1900 was the price of pine marten a little below that of the stone marten for a short time. The Greek emperor Konstantin Porphyrogennotis describes in the middle of the 10th century how the Normans came to Russia and focused their attention on collecting as much furs and skins from the inferior peoples as possible. As they knew it from their Scandinavian homeland, they set the tribute in skins. In the first place were sable, then marten and fox skins.

In the vita of the Frankish emperor Charlemagne (* 747 or 748; † January 28, 814) written by the Franconian historian Einhard , it is said about his clothing:

“He dressed in the traditional costume of the Franks: a linen shirt on his body, linen trousers covered over his thighs; over it a tunic, which was edged with silk, the lower legs were wrapped with ribbons. His calves were also laced and he wore boots on his feet. In winter he protected his shoulder and chest with a doublet made of otter skin or marten skin. Over it a blue cloak. He always wore a sword with a hilt of gold and silver. At receptions he wore a sword studded with precious stones. He never wore foreign clothes. On high feast days he wore gold-woven clothes and shoes and a diadem made of gold and precious stones. On ordinary days he was dressed like any other Franconian. "

From Bertha (* 775, † 828), one of his daughters, says Charles Kaplan Angilbert : "... and the snowy neck proudly wears the delicious marten."

Towards the end of the 10th century, with the increasing prosperity of individual social classes, their tendency towards luxury increased more and more. This was evident in cloaks of unbelievable preciousness, made from the finest and most precious fur. Russian crown sables , Siberian martens and the most beautiful ermine furs were used for it.

Prince-Bishop Megingaud von Eichstädt († 1014) had a messenger who brought him unfavorable news whipped. When he repented of his sudden anger, he gave him a marten skin as reparation.

The poet Wolfram von Eschenbach (* around 1160/80; † around / after 1220) says about the way in which marten pelts are used at the knightly court: "... Then a marten hat was ready, an undergarment of the same skin ...".

Adam von Bremen (* probably before 1050; † 1081/1085) complains about the effort made with fur:

“... that the scent of the furs of our time and our world has instilled the deadly poison of courtship and vanity. The Semben and Prussians, it also says, have an abundance of foreign skins, and indeed they do not value these skins more than dung, and we strive with all right and wrong means for a marten dress as for higher happiness! Therefore we offer these precious marten skins for linen garments, which we call Paltene . "

About 400 years later, Hans Sachs (* 1494; † 1576) is also amazed that all women wore “well-worn screws and marten hoods”. The city of Cologne was particularly known for trading in fine and noble types of fur: for sable, dark marten and ermine skins and the furrier goods made from them. There were already specialized furriers here , such as sable, marten, Feh and ermine skins, and others who were only allowed to use fox, rabbit fur and lambskins. Of course, the processors of the noble fur had the greatest reputation . For the medieval Schaube , a wide coat, a fur trim made of fine skins was soon characteristic, often made of marten, whereby the fur lining could also be made of an inexpensive hide. In addition to the upper bourgeoisie, it was held by the highest classes such as princes and knights. While the show was mainly men's clothing, the women of wealthy merchants also wore fur. In summer it was fur-trimmed clothes, in winter there was a long fur-lined coat with a corresponding collar made of sable, beaver, otter, feh or marten.

The Rostock dress code from 1576 mentions the custom that when the sexes married, they had a “robe lined with marten” as their best dress. The statutes of the Rostock master furriers commanded the guild member not to “peddle his products, not to go into the houses of his customers to make brides and grooms' items”.

In medieval dress codes it was also specified, among other things, which class was allowed or forbidden to wear certain types of fur. The official justification was to curb unreasonable luxury, in practice it meant highlighting certain privileged classes. The preamble of an ordinance from 1530 says this very clearly: "that [the clothes] are worn by everyone, who will be or who will come from, according to their status, to honor and to be able to be differently recognized." . In the ordinance of 1530, the marten fur was also established for the first time as the most important insignia of the Schaube. Ordinary citizens and craftsmen were not allowed to carry a marten, but instead were allowed to carry foxes, lamb and polecats. In addition to the inferior polecat, merchants and craftsmen were already permitted to use the inferior throat fur of the marten, the throat marten, provided they were members of the city council. The high-quality, dense back fur was awarded to noble citizens, by the council, by gender and the nobility; their wives, however, were allowed to wear squirrel fur. The back marten was the greatest privilege for townspeople. This also applied to imperial degrees from the years 1497 and 1500. In 1496 the city of Nuremberg had already declared the marten to be the most important fur after the sable, the abuse of which must be prevented.

In parts of Eastern Europe, in addition to cattle, incense has been a medium of exchange since ancient times. In later times coins appeared, but the skins did not supersede in use as a measure of value. This type of money was called " kunen ", which is marten skins. The kuna is still the name for the Croatian currency unit today. In addition, parts of skins , head pieces, paw pieces and other things also circulated . Defense money was raised in skins, road taxes, bridge fees and trade tariffs, the service of the clergy and the requirements of the churches and monasteries were paid for in fur. Russian beech marten tails were once especially valued, in 1841 it is mentioned that they were traded hundreds of times. The skins were sold in rooms, 40 pieces each.

When the fashion of fur necklaces came up, tree and stone marten still mostly went to the USA, where they were very much appreciated. In Germany only young girls wore beech marten necklaces. It was only after the First World War that people began to enjoy the fine fur when prices rose.

The breeding of marten for fur purposes, which was also attempted at the beginning of fur farming, has not been able to establish itself, in contrast to other species of marten such as mink, sable and Russian polecat. The increase was moderate, the rearing time long and the feed costs of the carnivores high, so that it was obviously not profitable with the fur prices that could be achieved up to now.

Historical marten or sable clothing

The types of fur can only seldom be determined with certainty on the numerous existing old pictures, especially of higher-ranking men with furs from the zoological family of the marten. This is especially true for the distinction between stone and pine marten, and even more difficult between sable and pine marten fur.

Hieronymus wooden shoe with collar made of back sable fur (1526)
Anne Stafford (ca.1535)
Bartholomäus Not in a fur-lined shell (1709)
Lady with pine marten skin as a neck warmer (16th century)
Princess Ekaterina Voronzowa-Daschkowa (c. 1780)
FR Say (1844)
"Bloomed" (shot) marten stock of a peasant woman (late 1921)

processing

Processing sketch, two marten skins for a collar (1895)

In the 17th century it was reported that it had been known for centuries how the skins of animals could be colored beautifully in various ways, how “beautiful sable skins could be made from small marten skins”. Up until the middle of the 20th century, furriers who knew about fur colors knew how to darken the light, cheap varieties in their own workshop, but also to darken the fur that had "bloomed" over the years, that is, which had become lighter. The marten cover is the covering color with which light-colored marten skins are “beautified”. In 1950, furriers were strongly advised to apply the cover to the guard hair instead of the soft brush with goose or chicken feathers dipped in the paint. Light and discolored pelts are still often, but now by the fur refiners , dyed darker on the surface (blinded) or dyed in an immersion bath.

The pine marten is particularly suitable as a beautiful trim material. In addition to trimmings and small clothing, tree and stone marten skins are also processed into jackets and coats, depending on the fashion. The fur necklace , a fur scarf in the shape of an animal, was a major fashion theme until the 1970s . This accessory appeared for the first time in the late Middle Ages, it was probably only later referred to as flea fur because it was assumed that the women had worn it to pull the unpleasant fleas off their bodies, which were still common at the time. Around 1900 there was the fur necklace in various designs, made of one hide, then also known as a strangler, made of two, four or even more skins. In addition to initially fox skins, marten and sable skins with their silky and full hair were particularly popular. " Man muffs " were once a primary use for pine marten fur.

As with some other species of marten, especially polecat and sable, the hair lengths, which vary greatly within the fur, place high demands on the furrier, especially when it comes to the working techniques of cutting several pelts into one part of the fur and then letting it out , changing the length of the fur up to its length a possibly floor-length coat. The noticeable throat marks are often not processed in large parts.

In 1965 the fur consumption for a fur board with 60 to 70 pelts sufficient for a pine marten coat was specified (so-called coat “body”), for stone marten it was noted “mostly trimmed goods”. A board with a length of 112 centimeters and an average width of 150 centimeters and an additional sleeve section was used as the basis. This corresponds roughly to a fur material for a slightly exhibited coat of clothing size 46 from 2014. The maximum and minimum fur numbers can result from the different sizes of the sexes of the animals, the age groups and their origin. Depending on the type of fur, the three factors have different effects.

As with almost all types of fur, if there is a sufficient amount of marten fur, all fur residues that arise during processing are used (marten paws, heads, throats, sides, pieces and tails). The main places for processing fur pieces outside of China are still today, from origins in the 14th to 15th centuries, the Greek Kastoria and the nearby smaller town of Siatista . There, the leftovers are put together as semi-finished products into bars, so-called bodies and food. Marten side and marten throat linings were especially used for lining men's coats.

Marten-like refinements of other types of fur

The fur refinement according to other types of fur or their imitation, or the color naming after them (tree marten, stone marten colors), always takes place at times when these furs are particularly valued.

Pine marten

American opossums dyed in the color of pine marten , ringtail opossums (no longer on sale), badgers , lambskins , foxes .

Beech marten

American opossums were refined similar to stone marten, the whitish background was achieved by bleaching.

facts and figures

Gem-adorned golden marten head of a Zibellino (flea fur ) (approx. 1550–1559)
Marten boa in the manner of a fur necklace and marten muff, also with a carved head (M.lle Louise Piret, 1899)

In 301 AD , Diocletian issued the maximum price edict , the violation of which was punishable by the death penalty. It also lists the prices for raw and dressed hides:

	Roman denarii	Roman denarii
	raw	prepared (tanned)
Goatskin , great	XL	L.
Sheepskin , great	XX	XXX
Fur for hats		C.
Finished cap		CC
Lamb or kidskin	X	XVI
hyena	XL	LX
Deer fur	X	XV
Deer skin	LXX	C.
Wild sheepskin	XV	XXX
Wolf skin	XXV	XL
Marten fur	X	XV
Beaver fur	XX	XXX
Bear fur , great	C.	CL
Lynx fur	XL	LX
Sealskin	MCCL	MD
Leopard skin	M.	MCCL
Lion skin		M.
Eight goat skin blanket		CCCXXXIII

1530 The Imperial Police Order of 1530 shows the fur hierarchy in relation to the social ranking:

	Men	Women
Noble	Back marten	-
Citizens of the council , of gender or of other noble origin and those who live on pensions	Back marten	Squirrel fur (Feh)
Merchants, craftsmen in the council	Throat marten	Squirrel fur (Feh)
Craftsmen and their journeymen and servants, common citizens	high quality lambskin , fox fur and polecat fur	-
Farmers, day laborers	-	Lambskin, goatskin ("bad beltz")

1614 , one of several recipes to dye marten throats, quote: “To dye stone marten and tree marten. Nim Röthe out of the apotecks / don't burn it / nim half as much horse apples / push it through each other / and put it on the Marden throat / as you know / and wipe it back in. "

Around 1700 , quote: “In addition, the Tartars of the Crimea, when they were still under Turkish sovereignty, took over the procurement of Russian fur to Romelia , Constantinople , the Greek islands , Trebizond , Sinope , Amasia , Heraclea and the other cities of Anatolia . So z. For example, the average annual import of fur in Sinope is 200 fox pelts of low average quality at 25-26 piasters, further 100 fox pelts of medium quality at 35-40 piasters, 20-25 marten pelts at 100-120 piasters, 300-400 furs from squirrels according to the different quality to 16-22 piastres and much more ”(1 piaster = 3 French livres).

Quote: “The most popular types of Russian fur were sable, lynx, martens, ermine, squirrel and all kinds of fox fur. After the sable, the black fox was valued as the most valuable hide, for which one was inclined to pay 400-2000 piasters depending on the quality. Marten and ermine pelts were also paid very dearly, the former costing 50 to 150 piastres, while the latter were valued at 50 to 150 piastres, depending on the quality of the skins from which the fur was made. "

In 1775 , the Russian government issued precise instructions to promote the exchange of goods with the Black Sea regions, while at the same time announcing the goods prices applicable there and the likely profit margin that could be achieved when exporting from Russia to there or to Constantinople. Sables of various qualities and at various prices were sold at 100 percent profit based on Siberian purchase prices. Usimic martens cost one hundred, the shipment to Taganrog 80 rubles, plus Russian import duty 3.90 rubles, unloading costs 0.10 rubles. Overall, after these costs, the price increased to 92 rubles, which was offset by a proceeds of 135 rubles on sale in Constantinople. The profit to be achieved was 43 rubles.
Around 1800 (?) Russia fulfilled its subsidy obligations towards Austria by sending a consignment of tobacco products to Vienna, consisting of:

1009 rooms = 40,360 pieces of sable hides worth 28,907 rubles

1 room = 40 pieces of sable hides worth 400 rubles

519 rooms = 2076 marten skins worth 5190 rubles

120 black fox skins worth 565 rubles

300 beaver pelts worth 2708 rubles

1000 wolf skins worth 530 rubles

75 elen skins worth 75 rubles

1801 from Gerhard Heinrich Buse about pine marten:

Trade: This article [pine marten] is counted among the finest fur, although it is not as prestigious as that of the sable, and it is very much sought after by furriers and tobacco shops. Canada [spruce marten, neither tree nor stone marten come from America], Hudson's Bay, Russia and Sardinia supply most of the skins of this type for trade. The former alone sends an average of 86,000 skins, the other 16,000. In 1748, when Canada was still French, the Hudson's Company sold 14,730 units, and that same year, 80,225 units were imported into Rochelle . The Bashkirs are most valued among the Russians and the Albanian ones among the American ones .

Prices
In Orenburg :
Marten skins	1 piece 40 to 50 kopecks
In Kjachta :
Marten paws	1 sack of 90 kopecks to 3 rubles
Throats	1 bag 7 rubles
Tails	1 piece of 20 kopecks
Marten and brown sable furs of the islanders that come via Anadirsk	25 to 40 rubles
In Petersburg :
A piece of marten fur of the most perfect kind	3 rubles
and from the worse	2 rubles
A big sack of furs	80 rubles
In London:
Albanian	1 piece 6 to 8 shillings

In 1864 120,000 pine marten pelts from Central Europe and 60,000 from European Russia came into the trade, 250,000 from the stone marten from Europe and 150,000 from European Russia.
In 1900 , after heavy hunted, 75,000 pine marten skins came from Central Europe and 50,000 from European Russia.
Around 1928/29, the Leipzig tobacco market listed per item:

Raw pine marten skins : quality great 75 to 120 marks, tops of the heads 120 to 160 marks

Raw stone marten skins: great 60 to 75 marks, upper heads 70 to 85 marks.

In 1934 the hunting season for pine marten in Germany was limited to two months, from December 1st to January 31st.

Beech Marten Muff (USA 1912)

Before 1944 , the maximum price for pine marten skins was:

I. variety 200 RM, -, II. Variety 150 RM

for stone marten skins:

I. type 95, - RM, II. Type 70, - RM.

In the years of the Second World War and shortly thereafter , the maximum price for pine marten in Germany was 100 marks, for stone marten 50 marks. Around the 1950s, the Americans “discovered” the somewhat noticeable stone marten fur that was little known there until then, and prices rose for a few years until interest subsided again.
In 1953 the hunting season for pine marten in Germany was shortened to the period from January 1st to 31st, as the stocks had not recovered since the hunting season, which was limited to two months.
In 1955 , according to official reports, the Russian export of both species of marten skins totaled 69,000 pieces.
In 1965 , according to official reports, the Russian export of both species of marten skins totaled 44,000 pieces.
In 2016 , the most important German buyer of raw hides put its annual volume at around 5,000 stone marten skins and 700 pine marten skins.

annotation

↑ ^a ^b The given comparative values ( coefficients ) are the result of comparative tests by furriers and tobacco merchants with regard to the degree of apparent wear and tear. The figures are not unambiguous; in addition to the subjective observations of durability in practice, there are also influences from fur dressing and fur finishing as well as numerous other factors in each individual case . More precise information could only be determined on a scientific basis. The division was made in steps of 10 percent each. The most durable types of fur according to practical experience were set to 100 percent.

supporting documents

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Fritz Schmidt: The book of the fur animals and fur . FC Mayer Verlag, Munich 1970, pp. 232-241.
↑ ^a ^b Fritz Schmidt: The martens and their breeding . Akademische Verlagsanstalt, Leipzig 1951, pp. 11–12.
^ Siegmund Schapiro (Leipzig tobacco shop): Russian tobacco products. In: Rauchwarenkunde - Eleven lectures from the goods science of the fur trade. Verlag der Rauchwarenmarkt, Leipzig 1931, p. 85.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Paul Schöps, Kurt Häse, Fritz Schmidt: Der Baummarder . In: Das Pelzgewerbe .Jg. XI / New Series, 1960 No. 4, pp. 152-162
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Heinrich Dathe , Paul Schöps, with the assistance of 11 specialists: Fur Animal Atlas . VEB Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena 1986, pp. 170-173.
↑ ^a ^b ^c Christian Heinrich Schmidt: The furrier art . Verlag BF Voigt, Weimar 1844, pp. 33-34.
↑ ^a ^b Paul Schöps; H. Brauckhoff, Stuttgart; K. Häse, Leipzig, Richard König , Frankfurt am Main; W. Straube-Daiber, Stuttgart: The durability coefficients of fur skins. In: The fur trade. Volume XV, New Series, 1964, No. 2, Hermelin Verlag Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin / Frankfurt am Main / Leipzig / Vienna, pp. 56–58.
↑ ^a ^b Paul Schöps, Kurt Häse: The fineness of the hair - the fineness classes. In: The fur trade. Vol. VI / new series, 1955 No. 2, Hermelin-Verlag Dr. Paul Schöps, Leipzig / Berlin / Frankfurt am Main, pp. 39–40 (note: fine (partly silky); medium-fine (partly fine); coarse (medium-fine to coarse)).
^ ^A ^b ^c Hans-Jürgen Reichhardt: Raw furs in international trade. Pine marten . In: Der Brühl No. 1, Berlin, January / February 1964, pp. 2–3.
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Friedrich Lorenz: Rauchwarenkunde. 4th edition. Volk und Wissen publishing house, Berlin 1958, pp. 87-88.
^ Friedrich Lorenz: Small fur animal geography . Verlag Alexander Duncker, Leipzig 1939, p. 12. Table of contents .
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Christian Franke, Johanna Kroll: Jury Fränkel ´s Rauchwaren-Handbuch 1988/89 . 10. Revised and supplemented new edition. Rifra-Verlag Murrhardt, pp. 45-48.
↑ Heinrich Hanicke: Handbook for furrier . Published by Alexander Duncker , Leipzig 1895, p. 63.
↑ Reinhold Stephan, pp. 23-24. Primary source Klyuchevsky: Textbook of Russian History . German edition Berlin 1925. 4 volumes, pp. 128/185.
^ Einhard: Vita Karoli Magni. Cape. 22f.
↑ Reinhold Stephan, Bochum: On the history of the smoking goods trade in antiquity and the Middle Ages and the development of the Russian-Asian region from 16.-18. Century . Inaugural dissertation University of Cologne 1940, p. 17. Table of contents . Primary source: Friedrich Hottenroth: Handbuch der Deutschen Tracht . Stuttgart undated, pp. 88, 101.
↑ Reinhold Stephan, p. 21. Primary source Hottenroth o. J., p. 113.
↑ Alexander Tuma: The history of the skinning. P. 65.
↑ Alexander Tuma: History of the skinning. P. 85.
↑ Reinhold Stephan p. 36. Primary source Adam von Bremen, 4. 20 in MG SS VII, S-. 394; Johann Falke: The history of German trade . Leipzig 1859, 2 volumes, p. 101.
↑ Reinhold Stephan P. 38. Primary source H. Bächthold: The north German trade in the 12th and early 13th century . Berlin and Leipzig 1910, p. 77.
↑ Reinhold Stephan, pp. 38-39. Primary source H. v. Loesch: The Cologne guild documents up to 1500 . 2 volumes, Bonn 1907, volume 1, p. 307 ff.
↑ Alexander Tuma: The history of the skinning. Pp. 115, 116.
↑ Wilh. Stieda: Rostocker Buntfutterer and Pelzer in the old days. Lecture given in the Association for Rostock Antiquities on May 21, 1889. Separate print from the “Rostocker Zeitung”, No. 480 ff., 1889. P. 34.
^ Primary source Schmauss, 1747, p. 31 and p. 79, pp. 336–339. Cultural-historical information on the genesis of the Reich Police Regulations and especially the dress code in Bulst / Lüttenberg / Priever, 2002, pp. 32–36.
↑ Philipp Zitzlsperger: Dürer's fur and the right in the picture. 2008, ISBN 978-3-05-004522-1 , pp. 28-29 Primary source: Schmauss, 1747, pp. 336-339. Cultural-historical information on the genesis of the Reich Police Regulations and especially the dress code in Bulst / Lüttenberg / Priever, 2002, pp. 32–36.
↑ Philipp Zitzlsperger: Dürer's fur and the right in the picture. Pp. 31-32.
↑ Reinhold Stephan p. 46. Primary source J. Kulischer: Russ. Business-Gesch. Volume 1, G. Fischer, Jena 1925, p. 116.
^ Philipp Manes : The German fur industry and its associations 1900-1940, attempt at a story . Berlin 1941 Volume 2. Copy of the original manuscript, p. 27 ( G. & C. Franke collection ).
↑ digital.slub-dresden.de Christoff Weigel : Illustration of the common-useful main stands From which regents and their servants assigned to / bit all artists and craftsmen in times of peace and war . Regensburg 1698, p. 617. Online edition of the Saxon State Library - State and University Library Dresden, last accessed April 7, 2014.
^ H. Werner: The furrier art . Publishing house Bernh. Friedr. Voigt, Leipzig 1914, p. 97.
↑ Alexander Tuma: Pelz-Lexikon. Fur and rough goods. XIX. Tape. Verlag Alexander Tuma, Vienna 1950. Keyword “Marderblende”.
↑ The Kirschner . Halle 1762, “Workshops for Today's Arts”, Berlin.
↑ Paul Schöps u. a .: The material requirements for fur clothing . In: Das Pelzgewerbe Vol. XVI / New Series 1965 No. 1, Hermelin-Verlag Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin a. a., pp. 7-12. Note: The information for a body was only made to make the types of fur easier to compare. In fact, bodies were only made for small (up to about muskrat size ) and common types of fur, and also for pieces of fur . The following dimensions for a coat body were taken as a basis: body = height 112 cm, width below 160 cm, width above 140 cm, sleeves = 60 × 140 cm.
↑ Alexander Tuma: History of the skinning . Verlag Alexander Tuma, Vienna 1967, p. 47.
↑ Police regulations of Charles V 1530 on Wikimedia Commons
↑ Philipp Zitzlsperger: Dürer's fur and the right in the picture . Akademie Verlag, Berlin 2008, ISBN 978-3-05-004522-1 . Primary source: table taken from Bulst / Lüttenberg / Priever, 2002, p. 33.
↑ Wolfgang Hildebrand: little art book in front of the Kürschner, Riemer, Senckler, and ... , Erfurt 1614.
↑ Reinhold Stephan, p. 113. Primary source: v. Peyssonel: The Constitution of Commerce on the Black Sea. Translated from the French, Leipzig 1788, pp. 101, 301, 457.
↑ Reinhold Stephan p. 113. Primary source Peyssonel 1788, p. 192, 193.
↑ Reinhold Stephan p. 114. Primary source Peyssonel 1788, p. 384.
↑ Reinhold Stephan, p. 126. Primary source KR v. Baer: News from Siberia and the Kyrgyz steppe . St. Petersburg 1845, p. 133.
^ Fritz Schmidt, p. 236, after Lübstorff.
^ Kurt Nestler: Tobacco and fur trade . Max Jänecke Verlagbuchhandlung, Leipzig 1929, p. 105.
^ Friedrich Malm, August Dietzsch: The art of the furrier. Fachbuchverlag Leipzig 1951, p. 22, 68.
↑ Information about Hofstetter

[Anmerkung1-7] The given comparative values ( coefficients ) are the result of comparative tests by furriers and tobacco merchants with regard to the degree of apparent wear and tear. The figures are not unambiguous; in addition to the subjective observations of durability in practice, there are also influences from fur dressing and fur finishing as well as numerous other factors in each individual case . More precise information could only be determined on a scientific basis. The division was made in steps of 10 percent each. The most durable types of fur according to practical experience were set to 100 percent.

[Schmidt_Pelztiere-1] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Fritz Schmidt: The book of the fur animals and fur . FC Mayer Verlag, Munich 1970, pp. 232-241.

[Marderzucht-2] Fritz Schmidt: The martens and their breeding . Akademische Verlagsanstalt, Leipzig 1951, pp. 11–12.

[Schapiro-3] Siegmund Schapiro (Leipzig tobacco shop): Russian tobacco products. In: Rauchwarenkunde - Eleven lectures from the goods science of the fur trade. Verlag der Rauchwarenmarkt, Leipzig 1931, p. 85.

[Pelzgewerbe_1960/4-4] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Paul Schöps, Kurt Häse, Fritz Schmidt: Der Baummarder . In: Das Pelzgewerbe .Jg. XI / New Series, 1960 No. 4, pp. 152-162

[Pelztieratlas-5] Heinrich Dathe , Paul Schöps, with the assistance of 11 specialists: Fur Animal Atlas . VEB Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena 1986, pp. 170-173.

[Chr._H._Schmidt-6] Christian Heinrich Schmidt: The furrier art . Verlag BF Voigt, Weimar 1844, pp. 33-34.

[Haltbarkeitskoeffizient-8] Paul Schöps; H. Brauckhoff, Stuttgart; K. Häse, Leipzig, Richard König , Frankfurt am Main; W. Straube-Daiber, Stuttgart: The durability coefficients of fur skins. In: The fur trade. Volume XV, New Series, 1964, No. 2, Hermelin Verlag Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin / Frankfurt am Main / Leipzig / Vienna, pp. 56–58.

[Feinheits-Klassen-9] Paul Schöps, Kurt Häse: The fineness of the hair - the fineness classes. In: The fur trade. Vol. VI / new series, 1955 No. 2, Hermelin-Verlag Dr. Paul Schöps, Leipzig / Berlin / Frankfurt am Main, pp. 39–40 (note: fine (partly silky); medium-fine (partly fine); coarse (medium-fine to coarse)).

[Reichhardt-10] A ^b ^c Hans-Jürgen Reichhardt: Raw furs in international trade. Pine marten . In: Der Brühl No. 1, Berlin, January / February 1964, pp. 2–3.

[Lorenz-11] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Friedrich Lorenz: Rauchwarenkunde. 4th edition. Volk und Wissen publishing house, Berlin 1958, pp. 87-88.

[Pelztiergeographie-12] Friedrich Lorenz: Small fur animal geography . Verlag Alexander Duncker, Leipzig 1939, p. 12. Table of contents .

[Fränkel-13] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Christian Franke, Johanna Kroll: Jury Fränkel ´s Rauchwaren-Handbuch 1988/89 . 10. Revised and supplemented new edition. Rifra-Verlag Murrhardt, pp. 45-48.

[Hanicke-14] Heinrich Hanicke: Handbook for furrier . Published by Alexander Duncker , Leipzig 1895, p. 63.

[15] Reinhold Stephan, pp. 23-24. Primary source Klyuchevsky: Textbook of Russian History . German edition Berlin 1925. 4 volumes, pp. 128/185.

[16] Einhard: Vita Karoli Magni. Cape. 22f.

[17] Reinhold Stephan, Bochum: On the history of the smoking goods trade in antiquity and the Middle Ages and the development of the Russian-Asian region from 16.-18. Century . Inaugural dissertation University of Cologne 1940, p. 17. Table of contents . Primary source: Friedrich Hottenroth: Handbuch der Deutschen Tracht . Stuttgart undated, pp. 88, 101.

[18] Reinhold Stephan, p. 21. Primary source Hottenroth o. J., p. 113.

[19] Alexander Tuma: The history of the skinning. P. 65.

[20] Alexander Tuma: History of the skinning. P. 85.

[21] Reinhold Stephan p. 36. Primary source Adam von Bremen, 4. 20 in MG SS VII, S-. 394; Johann Falke: The history of German trade . Leipzig 1859, 2 volumes, p. 101.

[22] Reinhold Stephan P. 38. Primary source H. Bächthold: The north German trade in the 12th and early 13th century . Berlin and Leipzig 1910, p. 77.

[23] Reinhold Stephan, pp. 38-39. Primary source H. v. Loesch: The Cologne guild documents up to 1500 . 2 volumes, Bonn 1907, volume 1, p. 307 ff.

[24] Alexander Tuma: The history of the skinning. Pp. 115, 116.

[25] Wilh. Stieda: Rostocker Buntfutterer and Pelzer in the old days. Lecture given in the Association for Rostock Antiquities on May 21, 1889. Separate print from the “Rostocker Zeitung”, No. 480 ff., 1889. P. 34.

[26] Primary source Schmauss, 1747, p. 31 and p. 79, pp. 336–339. Cultural-historical information on the genesis of the Reich Police Regulations and especially the dress code in Bulst / Lüttenberg / Priever, 2002, pp. 32–36.

[27] Philipp Zitzlsperger: Dürer's fur and the right in the picture. 2008, ISBN 978-3-05-004522-1 , pp. 28-29 Primary source: Schmauss, 1747, pp. 336-339. Cultural-historical information on the genesis of the Reich Police Regulations and especially the dress code in Bulst / Lüttenberg / Priever, 2002, pp. 32–36.

[28] Philipp Zitzlsperger: Dürer's fur and the right in the picture. Pp. 31-32.

[29] Reinhold Stephan p. 46. Primary source J. Kulischer: Russ. Business-Gesch. Volume 1, G. Fischer, Jena 1925, p. 116.

[30] Philipp Manes : The German fur industry and its associations 1900-1940, attempt at a story . Berlin 1941 Volume 2. Copy of the original manuscript, p. 27 ( G. & C. Franke collection ).

[Weigel-31] tal.slub-dresden.de Christoff Weigel : Illustration of the common-useful main stands From which regents and their servants assigned to / bit all artists and craftsmen in times of peace and war . Regensburg 1698, p. 617. Online edition of the Saxon State Library - State and University Library Dresden, last accessed April 7, 2014.

[Werner-32] H. Werner: The furrier art . Publishing house Bernh. Friedr. Voigt, Leipzig 1914, p. 97.

[Pelzlexikon_XIX-33] Alexander Tuma: Pelz-Lexikon. Fur and rough goods. XIX. Tape. Verlag Alexander Tuma, Vienna 1950. Keyword “Marderblende”.

[34] The Kirschner . Halle 1762, “Workshops for Today's Arts”, Berlin.

[Materialbedarf-35] Paul Schöps u. a .: The material requirements for fur clothing . In: Das Pelzgewerbe Vol. XVI / New Series 1965 No. 1, Hermelin-Verlag Dr. Paul Schöps, Berlin a. a., pp. 7-12. Note: The information for a body was only made to make the types of fur easier to compare. In fact, bodies were only made for small (up to about muskrat size ) and common types of fur, and also for pieces of fur . The following dimensions for a coat body were taken as a basis: body = height 112 cm, width below 160 cm, width above 140 cm, sleeves = 60 × 140 cm.

[Geschichte_der_Kürschnerei-36] Alexander Tuma: History of the skinning . Verlag Alexander Tuma, Vienna 1967, p. 47.

[37] Police regulations of Charles V 1530 on Wikimedia Commons

[38] Philipp Zitzlsperger: Dürer's fur and the right in the picture . Akademie Verlag, Berlin 2008, ISBN 978-3-05-004522-1 . Primary source: table taken from Bulst / Lüttenberg / Priever, 2002, p. 33.

[Kunstbüchlein-39] Wolfgang Hildebrand: little art book in front of the Kürschner, Riemer, Senckler, and ... , Erfurt 1614.

[40] Reinhold Stephan, p. 113. Primary source: v. Peyssonel: The Constitution of Commerce on the Black Sea. Translated from the French, Leipzig 1788, pp. 101, 301, 457.

[41] Reinhold Stephan p. 113. Primary source Peyssonel 1788, p. 192, 193.

[42] Reinhold Stephan p. 114. Primary source Peyssonel 1788, p. 384.

[43] Reinhold Stephan, p. 126. Primary source KR v. Baer: News from Siberia and the Kyrgyz steppe . St. Petersburg 1845, p. 133.

[44] Fritz Schmidt, p. 236, after Lübstorff.

[Nestler-45] Kurt Nestler: Tobacco and fur trade . Max Jänecke Verlagbuchhandlung, Leipzig 1929, p. 105.

[Malm/Dietzsch-46] Friedrich Malm, August Dietzsch: The art of the furrier. Fachbuchverlag Leipzig 1951, p. 22, 68.

[47] Information about Hofstetter