Results are in from the January 9, 2009 sale from Fur Harvesters Auction, Inc. Prices and sale rates were fairly low, but considering this week’s NAFA sale results, the FHA auction was by no means a disaster.
Since FHA offers a number of rare and unique furs from northern North America (wolverine, wolf, arctic fox, etc.), which are almost always in demand, they are probably in somewhat better shape than many other auction houses during periods of poor market performance.
Still, many items sold at very low levels. Of the 10,549 coyotes offered, almost none were sold. Similarly, raccoon only sold at 8% of the available 24,000+ furs. Nothing sold at 100%, although timber wolf came close with sales rates of 94% and 84% for Arctic and Eastern goods, respectively. Muskrats sold fairly well, with averages of $3.35 and a high of $6.90. Still, 30% of muskrats offered remain unsold.
Similar to NAFA, FHA held on to a large percentage of their fur, hoping for better prices at the next auction, when fur will not be held back, in an effort to establish new price levels based on market demand.
Overall, the fur market is still slumping, and lots of trappers, buyers and auction houses are holding on to their fur, hoping for future advancement. The encouraging news, however, is that there is still a market for wild fur. Like every market, it has it’s ups and downs, but people are still buying fur, and eventually, things are bound to improve.
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