help identifying vintage fur coat label

[tamic]

Hi! So happy to have found this forum!

I have inherited a fur coat from an aunt, and have been trying and trying to find out about it. Internet searches and even an online appraiser have been no help. I'm not as interested in the value (except for curiosity) as much as I am in the dating of the coat.

Here's what I know. It belonged at one time to my great-grandmother (so it is at least 60-70 years old), and it has a monogram stitched on the inside, but I can't identify whose name it stands for. It is real fur, I believe mink. The lining is hand-stitched and original. It has a label that says "American Fur Co. Salt Lake City." This is the part that stumps me.

I can find nothing about the American Fur Co except information about the fur company owned by John Jacob Astor which went out of business in 1842. But Salt Lake City wasn't even founded until 1847. Also, the font used on the label doesn't appear to be one I've seen in clothing or advertising from the 19th century. There must have been another company using this name, producing furs in, I'm guessing, the early 20th century.

Is there anyone on here that knows about vintage furs? Or w here I might go next to find information about this particular fur, or a "newer" American Fur Co? Or even someone who knows when this type of fur would have been worn?

Thanks so much!

 

[cactusandcattails]

The fur really doesn't look much like mink to me, but I am far from an expert. Is it super soft?
Sorry no help with the date at all.

You might browse through our Fur Resource

http://vintagefashionguild.org/fur-resource/

 

[lkranieri]

A 2009 Salt Lake newspaper obituary for Sonia Segal Cohne notes that: "She met Ben Cohne, married him in 1936 and went to work for her father-in-law Abe Cohne at the American Fur Company."

 

[lkranieri]

-- The 1928 Salt Lake City business directory notes that Abraham Cohen was the manager of the American Hide & Fur Company.

-- The 1933 business directory for Salt Lake City records Abe Cohne (wife is Frances) as the manager of the American Fur Company.

-- In the 1953 Salt Lake City directory Abe Cohne was listed with "American Fur Co"

--The 1956 directory does not mention the American Fur Company in the Abe Cohne entry and I did not see an American Fur Company listed in the directory under the "A" entries. (The American Fur Co. appeared in the "A" section of the 1953 directory)

-- The 1965 directory notes that Abe was retired and Cohne apparently died in 1980.

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

The styling does look like if could be from the 1940s. It does not look like mink, maybe fox.

Do you have a furrier in your area, that is often the best way to help ID a fur.

 

[Vinclothes]

I live in the intermountain area in Idaho, next to Utah. Muskrat furs were popular in this area. Boys trapped muskrats in streams and canals and sold the pelts to companies like the American Fur Co. The images resemble that of muskrat in the Fur Resource.The shape of the coat, I agree, looks like 1940's.
Marian

 

[EndlessAlley]

Agree with the 1940's. And agree it doesn't appear to be mink. From your photos there appears to be a red cast at the base of the fur by the pelt, which I have seen on a number of dyed muskrat furs.

 

[tamic]

thank you all so much for your help! It must be muskrat, but I will take it to someone to confirm. And being from the 1940s makes so much more sense. Now, I will just have to dig in my family history to see who "ACC" is.

 

[tamic]

-- The 1928 Salt Lake City business directory notes that Abraham Cohen was the manager of the American Hide & Fur Company.

-- The 1933 business directory for Salt Lake City records Abe Cohne (wife is Frances) as the manager of the American Fur Company.

-- In the 1953 Salt Lake City directory Abe Cohne was listed with "American Fur Co"

--The 1956 directory does not mention the American Fur Company in the Abe Cohne entry and I did not see an American Fur Company listed in the directory (under the "A" entries. (The American Fur Co. appeared in the "A" section of the 1953 directory)

-- The 1965 directory notes that Abe was retired and Cohne apparently died in 1980.

I don't know how you found all this, but thank you! I didn't even think to look for a local business directory.

 

[Better Dresses Vintage]

Definitely not mink.

 

[melody webb]

I also need help identifying info on my coat. Beautiful condition, no tears, supple feel, was well cared for. I noticed there were monograms letters on inside and one was removed, and only the "R" is left. I think it may have been "VR" from the looks of it. The labelis worn but says American Fur Co. Salt Lake City. What I am interested in is the crest on the label, what does that mean?

 

[Midge]

Hi Melody,
You will have more success with your post being seen if you start a new post in the Q&A forum instead of posting into a post that is already several years old.