April 2016
wild fur sale report
North american fur auctions
Please refer to our to our web site www.nafa.ca for any changes to this information since printing.
65 Skyway Ave, Toronto,
ON M 9 W 6 C7 C a n a d a
T E L : 1 . 416 . 6 7 5 . 9 3 2 0
f a x : 1 . 416 . 6 7 5 . 6 8 6 5
205 Industrial Circle,
Stoughton, WI, 53589, USA
T EL: 1.608.205.9200
fa x : 1.6 0 8 . 205. 9 210
567 Henry Ave Winnipeg,
M B R 3 A 0 T 8 C a n a d a
T E L : 1 . 2 0 4 .7 74 . 17 0 5
f a x : 1 . 2 0 4 . 9 4 3 . 2 9 41
WILD FUR CLE ARANCES IMPROVING
ALL PRICES IN USD
Percentage sold and average prices listed are for fresh sundry owner goods.
April 12, 2016
NAFA’s April Sale opened with 400 buyers representing all major markets including China, Greece, Korea, Europe
and North America. The results of the Wild Fur Sale continue to reflect many of the problems that have existed
in the market over the past year. The Russian economy and political situation has seen very little improvement.
The Ruble is still severely devalued and the price of a barrel of oil has improved only marginally. Ranch mink
prices have stabilized or shown slight advances in price, but they are still selling at prices well below production
costs and there continues to be an overproduction of ranch mink worldwide. Global economies, including China,
continue to underperform impacting financial markets around the world.
All of these factors continue to have a negative impact on the price of many of the wild fur articles, however
high fashion items such as Sable, Fisher, Western Lynx Cats and Western Coyotes performed well under the
circumstances. The international fashion industry and trim trade again showed strong demand for Coyotes,
competing aggressively for better sections of Western Coyotes. The Western Heavy Coyotes sold 99% and the
Western Semi Heavies sold 75%, with prices advancing on better qualities and colors.
Type
Musquash
Fisher
Can-Am Sable (Marten)
Offering
% Sold Section
Average
Top
315,898
50 Section I
$2.60
$5.75
100 Large
$37.38
$74.00
100 Medium
$30.48
$49.00
100 Small
$47.75
$290.00
100 Overall
$41.52
9,938
62,978
$190.00
Heavy I
100 XXXL
$84.44
$98.00
NAFA’s outstanding collection of Can-Am Sable sold under strong competition, again with prices advancing on
bigger sizes and heavier sections. Korea was very active for all better qualities with good support from Hong
Kong, Europe and China. The large attendance in the auction room demonstrated the growing popularity of this
item.
100 XXL
$76.44
$190.00
100 XL
$65.99
$86.00
100 Large
$36.53
$50.00
A sizable collection of Fisher sold 100% with China being the primary buyer of females and Italy and Greece
buying the majority of the males. This is another high end fashion piece that will be used both by the trimming
trade (males) and garment makers (females).
100 Overall Average
$55.29
Semi Heavy I
The Western Lynx Cats sold 80%, primarily to Italy with good support from Greece and Korea. Larger sizes and
better belly colors sold under strong competition with the major Italian fashion houses dominating. Flatter
sections and commercial qualities had good support from Greece, but saw resistance in both price and
clearance.
NAFA’s decision to sell 250,000 Raccoon freely into the marketplace resulted in higher than expected clearances,
with a total of over 400,000 Raccoon being sold. Given that this article has had minimal clearances over the
past two years, we were pleased to move this many Raccoon in a single auction. Bigger sizes and better sections
achieved acceptable price levels while smaller sizes and flatter sections sold at significant discounts.
Beaver
85,180
Overall Beaver sold approximately 50%, with a limited quantity of bigger sized shearing types selling at advancing
prices, while commercial qualities and small sizes remain difficult to sell or sold at disappointing levels.
Muskrats sold 50%, with the bigger sizes being sold primarily to China. Wild Mink sold 55%, again primarily to
China with support from Italy. Most of the females remain unsold. Clearances improved on the Otter, selling 95%
at new, reduced prices.
Although the results of April’s wild fur auction show a general improvement in atmosphere and in particular, the
clearance of some articles. Prices are still very disappointing for articles such as Raccoon, Beaver, Wild Mink,
Muskrat and Otter. Our intention was to move as many pieces into the market place as possible, even if the
prices were disappointing and unacceptable long term. These items will only show an improvement in price if
they are in the hands of manufacturers and not in cold storage.
The wild fur industry has experienced these problems before and by working together we have always managed
to get through these difficult times. We will continue to explore every possible way to promote and expand the
market for wild fur so we can ultimately achieve the highest possible price.
Otter
Raccoon
11,551
572,509
100 XXXL
$64.48
$72.00
99 XXL
$53.15
$80.00
85 XL
$43.21
$53.00
92 Large
$27.57
$34.00
90 Overall Average
$37.10
95 Overall
$40.44
44 Eastern
$10.79
$63.00
61 Western
$10.37
$30.50
99 Section III
$9.24
$13.00
$17.60
$39.00
$7.72
$27.00
81 West North Central
$6.22
$18.00
40 East North Central
$6.15
$12.50
$5.39
$12.50
99 Western Heavy
$78.85
$340.00
78 Western Semi
$32.90
$76.00
40 Eastern
$36.93
$100.00
100 Section III
$7.52
$28.00
95 Overall
100 West Northern
100 Canadian
Coyote
89,474
$80.00
Type
Offering
Lynx
6,638
Lynx Cat
8,086
% Sold Section
Average
*Limited interest
Top
$140
80 Western
$271.31
$900
55 Northern
$48.43
$80
50 Southwestern
$59.51
$100
Canadian Eastern
*Mainly withdrawn
Wild Mink
23,620
55 Overall
$8.90
$15.50
Red Fox
36,569
35 Heavy
$19.09
$42.00
60 Semi-Heavy
$15.20
$27.00
28 Central
$12.04
$22.00
Grey Fox
25,577
Cross Fox
1,337
100 Overall
$19.57
$46.00
Silver Fox
180
97 Overall
$20.09
$38.00
Squirrel
58,377
100 Overall
$0.36
$1.00
Ermine
44,192
20 Overall
$1.78
$4.75
Opossum
55,114
100 Overall
$1.01
$3.00
Badger
1,496
100 Overall
$23.47
$74.00
Timber Wolf
1,068
67 Overall
$110.00
$400.00
Bears
241
92 Overall
$116.65
$400.00
Wolverine
169
100 Overall
$187.64
$338.00
4,873
95 Overall
$3.08
$23.00
Skunk
Castoreum
*Mainly withdrawn
1
100 $3.90/oz.
2
100 $3.25/oz.
3
100 $2.00/oz.