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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To sell my mums fur coats??

225 replies

TheCalmingManatee · 23/09/2012 17:20

They are real fur (im not sure what they are, i think there are a couple of rabbit so less value) all vintage, she has five of them Shock I haven't a clue where she got them from, she wouldn't have bought them new, they are at least 40 years old.

Now I am categorically anti-fur, have taken part in demos etc in my past. And a rather questionable sit in in a fur department of a posh department store in my rebellious youth Blush So, i really don't want to be supporting the fur-trade in any way shape or form. But i have noticed that there seems to be a bit of a revival for vintage fur coats.

Yesterday whilst visiting a collectors fair i noticed coats similar to my mother's for £500, you could have knocked me over wiht a feather. I asked the guy if the woman selling them (she wasn't there) was interested in buying fur and he said she was. I have spoken to my mum and she is interested, well she had actually asked me to take them to the charity shop for her a couple of months back.

AIBU to think i could get a reasonable sum for these? I would never myself wear a fur coat, vintage or otherwise and i would imagine that many other people would feel the same way as i do. I would be (on my mums behalf - but actually im willing to bet she would share the pickings!) very VERY happy to get £200 each for the coats, if she is selling them for 5!!!!

I have an underlying feeling that im mad though!

OP posts:
CaliforniaLeaving · 23/09/2012 17:24

Well they are already made into coats and throwing them away isn't going save any animals. I'd just sell them and get them out of the house seeing you have no interest in them.

rogersmellyonthetelly · 23/09/2012 17:27

Flog them. I would and I'm anti fur too. Thing is, he dead rabbits don't give a shiny shite who they are currently adorning, but at least if someone buys your vintage coat, they aren't buying a new one causing more animals to die for it.

Headagainstwall · 23/09/2012 17:27

Yeh, just sell them. Give half the profits to an animal charity if you feel bad.

NatashaBee · 23/09/2012 17:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mrscog · 23/09/2012 17:30

Definitely sell - they've been made now so the animals may as well have not died for nothing.

aldiwhore · 23/09/2012 17:32

I think sell them. BUT... no, the dead rabbits won't give a shiny shite whether you sell them or not, but you could use that argument if you were to wear them.

I suppose it depends how extreme you are in your views.

I LOVE fur coats. I hate the fact that 48odd small animals have to die for them... so I wouldn't buy or wear one. The women in my family share ownership of a beautiful fur coat that none of us will ever wear openly, it was my Granny's. I can't sell it, I can't wear it out, I'm happy for it to hang in mum's wardrobe to be stroked my me every so often (and I feel bad doing that... its good quality, many baby animals' worth, a beautiful piece).

I agree with giving half the profit to an animal charity.

expatinscotland · 23/09/2012 17:34

Flog 'em and go on a holiday with your mum.

Original poster
TheCalmingManatee · 23/09/2012 17:40

I like expats idea best Grin[selfish emoticon] However, if i were to get some of the money (which i know that i would to be fair as my mum is v generous and often helps with money, sort of to make up for the fact that she is unable to support in other ways if that makes sense) my DP is desperate to do a course that will allow him to fit log burners, the course is £1000 and we can't afford it, so if we got some money for the coats it would be a contribution to it, and then once he gets work from it we can give the money back to my mum (or buy a headstone for my dad's grave as we haven't been able to afford that yet - seven years :( ).

Wish me luck!

So morals aside though, do you think i'll get much for them?

OP posts:
aldiwhore · 23/09/2012 17:42

If the style is timeless you'll get more... sell them to that niche market, more still, do your research on them.

Don't just flog them to the nearest retro shop or go down the ebay route until you've learned their value.

lljkk · 23/09/2012 17:47

yanbu.

picnicbasketcase · 23/09/2012 17:48

YANBU

Original poster
TheCalmingManatee · 23/09/2012 17:53

thanks aldi - i have to have a proper look at them, you are right, they could be worth £££s, equally, they could be worth not so much, but it would be good to know!

OP posts:
GoldShip · 23/09/2012 17:55

Personally I wouldn't because this is why fur coats still exist in the first place. Because people can make mega bucks from them and people are willing to pay it.

Clumsymum · 23/09/2012 17:56

OP, would it be possible to let me know where you have seen this seller, or to let me have her name? By PM if you prefer .

My mother has a couple of VERY beautiful fur coats, which were bought by my father for her back in the 1960 - 70s, before such things had any stigma associated with them.
Now in her 80s, mum doesn't have much disposable income. A few 100 pounds would mean a lot to her. She hadn't sold them up to now, as we didn't know where we could sell them. I assumed we would end up burning them, given modern attitudes, which would be a huge waste.

Any info gratefully received

Mrsjay · 23/09/2012 17:56

they are probably regarded as antiques or is it vintage Confused anyway somebody would want them and even though I hate the whole fur trade it isn't going to bring the animals back I would look into selling them or donating them dont bint hem if they are of value

PennyDead · 23/09/2012 17:57

I bought a vintage fur on ebay about 5 years ago for around 60 quid. Best investment I've ever made, and it appeals to my eco sensibilities as I haven't bought a winter coat since. Win win. I do not condone the farrier industry now, but I have no problem with vintage.

lovebunny · 23/09/2012 17:57

sell them, get as much as you can. let me know. my mum has a rather stylish mink jacket...

Clumsymum · 23/09/2012 18:02

" Personally I wouldn't because this is why fur coats still exist in the first place. Because people can make mega bucks from them and people are willing to pay it. "

But these mink/chinchillas/rabbits/whatever already died (over 40 years ago in the case of my mothers coats). What harm does it do to continue wearing their pelts today

And in the case of animals which were farmed for their fur -as mink were - how is that sooooo very different from people wanting leather sofas, or even leather shoes ?

XiCi · 23/09/2012 18:02

Of course you should sell them, the animals are long dead why shouldn't someone get the benefit of wearing them now. I'm not sure you'd get that much for rabbit fur though. I think they are the cheapest fur you can buy. I'd imagine the more expensive ones were mink

Original poster
TheCalmingManatee · 23/09/2012 18:09

Clumsy, yes i'll ferret out the number for you - i will actually have to go back to the place this week. Im in south east if that helps.

i think one of the coats, at least, is mink :( mink farming is/was a crock of shite though and escaped mink have contributed in the decline of the otter. Rabbit are pretty commonplace, i don't expect we will get much for those (i think two are rabbit, will have to have a proper look).

OP posts:
GoldShip · 23/09/2012 18:10

Clumsymum - that's the same argument people wearing fur make. 'Well it's already dead so why not'. It is still damaging to the ban fur cause. Creating supply and demand is the reason animals are still being killed.

If the OP wants to sell them that's her decision, but don't come to me with the 'but it's already dead' argument. It's crap.

And I don't wear leather either.

Socknickingpixie · 23/09/2012 18:12

i have a fake fur coat that 300 nylons died to make. i would kill for a fur coat but apsolutly wouldnt buy a new one for what ever reason i wont have one younger than 50.

sell them on i think its disrespectfull to the animal to bin it

GoldShip · 23/09/2012 18:14

Disrespectful to the animal hahahah I've heard it all now.

XiCi · 23/09/2012 18:15

It wasn't escaped mink that led to the decline of the otter op it was those released by animal rights activists that didn't have a clue about the ecology of the environment they released them into. Absolute fucking madness. And, no I don't agree with farming animals for fur before anyone flames me

sarahtigh · 23/09/2012 18:16

please don't assume you will get £500, it depends on fur and condition, I regualrly go to auctions and prices vary tremendously 3-4 coats can be worth less than £75 yesterday a box of furs and linen sold for £60, ring up a local auction house ( the type on bargain hunt not sothebys etc)ask if they sell many furs and if they would roughly value ( its free) an insurance valuation is not free), no obligation to sell at all