Vintage is all the rage in fashion from sparkling costume jewellery to those old fashion stoles grandma used to wear. The influence of fur is being seen in fashion and home dcor. Here are a few things youll need about buying vintage fur.

Styles

There is lots of choice out there stoles, cape, capelets, jackets, full length. Mink stoles from the 1950s to the shoulder pad 1980 full length fox coats are all available.

Good news

Vintage furs are very affordable. Prices range can start at under $50 for a hat, collar or cape. So, adding some vintage flair wont break the bank.

Where To Find Great Vintage Furs

Search local resale shops, antique shops, flea markets, garage sales and Ebay. They are all good sources for vintage furs.

Labels

Canadian labels to look for are Oglivys, Eatons and Holt Renfrew.

Cold Care

Any fur, old or new, should be kept in cold storage during the hot humid summer months.

Avoid Ciggie Smell

If the fur you love is holding the smell of cigarettes, put it back on the rack. No amount of airing it will remove the smell.

Fit

When you try on your vintage fur, move around and swing your arms. If it feels fragile, it probably is and may rip on you in the future.

Avoid discoloration

Steer clear of a vintage fur with discoloration around the collar or armpits. No amount of cleaning can fix it.

Good Buys

Some furs have a longer life than others. Raccoon and mink are studier than muskrat and rabbit that do not stand up so well over time.

Recycling

If you love the fur but the style doesnt work for you consider recycling it into something else. Use fur to line a jean jacket, create cuffs or a collar for a sweater or make it into a scarf. Cut down a full length to a jacket. The possibilities are endless.

Home Dcor

Lots of faux fur is seen in the home dcor scene in throws and pillows. Enlist a furrier to give new life to an affordable vintage fur to give your home a cozy feel.

Martin Swinton

A lifelong lover of all things old, Martin was born in Toronto, Canada and spent time in Malaysia as a child.

Martin learned to restore furniture when he was a teenager and has worked at an auction house. He owns Take-A-Boo Emporium, an antique shop located at 1927 Avenue Road, Toronto, Canada.

His television appearances include Canadian Living Television, Breakfast Television, Daytime and Toronto Living.

Martin teaches courses on antiques and he writes a regular column "Let's Talk Antiques" for the Town Crier newspaper and "Antiques 101" for the Home Advisor. He also does appraisals for estates and community events.

When Martin is not appearing on television or teaching, he can be found in his shop restoring well-worn furniture, gluing vintage tables or re-caning and rushing chairs. On warm summer days, he has been seen multi-tasking out front of the shop when he chats up the locals and works on his tan.

Martin recalls that he has always been interested in things from the past, so it is not surprising that he graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in Archaeology. He holds a high school equivalency diploma from the Ontario Ministry of Education. Martin completed his grade 2 course of studies at Cedarvale Public School before being home school through to high school. At the age of 7 Martin was diagnosed with a bad case of dyslexia, which explains a lot of the problems that he had in Mrs. Mansica's grade 2 reading circle.

His personal areas of interest are Asian art, European furniture and the Arts & Crafts movement. Martin is a member of the Monarchist League of Canada. He lives in Toronto with his wife Andrea and Kurt, his basketball mad 14-year old son.