Federal regulations prevent mass production of sea otters. Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) were in a genetically perilous position long before the fur trade pushed the species towards extinction, genetic research reveals. Ware’s been hunting sea otters for about eight years. Sea otter fur is historically prized as one of the rarest furs in the world. allow 1-2 weeks for delivery. if you dont know your size you can send a hand trace or what general measurement and length. Mon., Feb. 12, 2018. They have three inches of sea otter fur at the top. By the late 1700s, British and American hunters had begun harvesting otter pelts in California and selling them to trading outfits including Hudson’s Bay Company. The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is reported to be the only mammal other than Primates which habitually uses a tool as a means of obtaining certain types of ... possibly to rid the chest of debris and to keep the fur clean. Shop Collection. Sea otter fur is the densest in the world with up to one million hairs per square inch. Unlike whales and other ocean mammals, sea otters have no blubber. I make all coats custom order. Marcus Gho is the instructor brought to town by the Sealaska Heritage Institute in Juneau. Sea otters have the thickest fur of any mammal, which makes them a common target for many hunters. One must be at least a quarter Alaska Native to possess tanned, unmodified skins. Sea otter products can’t be produced by people working together. Classes like these are the exception. You should be receiving an order confirmation from Paypal shortly. By the early 1900s these animals had become so depleted that an international treaty was signed to prevent their extinction. Alaska Native handmade seal skin trapper hat with sea otter fur liner as well as forehead by Tlingit artist Robert Miller of Sitka, Alaska This sea otter and fox fur hat paired with a sea otter triple infinity scarf is a gorgeous combination. Functional & Warm For All Your Winter Outdoor Activities. He’s got a full-time job. Fur sources have been changed as the early California fur industry produced most of the fur products from sea otters, fur seals, and beavers. Large-scale hunting, part of the Maritime Fur Trade, which would eventually kill approximately one million sea otters, began in the 18th century when hunters and traders began to arrive from all over the world to meet foreign demand for otter pelts, which were one of the world's most valua… Removable Wool Liner, Leather Palms, Gauntlet (forearm length.) Sea otters can weigh 100 pounds and eat a quarter of their body weight a day. Sea otter products can’t be produced by people working together. The sea otters eat up the shellfish—crab and sea urchins—that fishermen catch commercially. Unavailable per item William Ware, “Lgeiki’eesh” & “Juni Li’xetl”, is a Tlingit Raven from the Taakdeintaan Clan of the Big Sockeye House (Glacier Bay). And now years later he excels at his craft, and his business, Sea Fur Sewing, is clearly on the map. Welcome to Alaska Sea Otter Products-fur blankets, fur apparel. And it worked. $450.00. Made in USA. (Photo by Angela Denning/KFSK). real fur blankets, lap blankets, trapper hats, woman's hats, headbands, scarfs. When the otter swims, its coat traps a layer of air close to its body. i normally use sea otter for trim but i also have beaver, land otter, and coyote fur. Although biological Fur apparel. My great grandmother Lizzy Semaken handmade all her family's fur garments to … I mainly use sea otter, seal, and sealion furs. Lizzy handmade all the fur clothing for her f​amily. But I can incorporate other furs as well. (Photo by Angela Denning/KFSK), “Some things turn out better when they’re sewn by hand,” Gho said. Select Quality, Silky, Glossy Skins. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. News > Pacific NW Etsy.com lifts ban on Alaska Native’s otter fur handicrafts. enjoy this luxurious real fur coat made of locally harvested sea otter fur. It has to been done by individual craftsmen. Sea Otter Fur Headband/ Scarf $150Sea Otter Trimmed leather gloves $100. Half a dozen students sit around a table covered in brown sea otter pelts. Today’s California sea otters are descended from a small colony along the isolated Big Sur coast that survived the fur trade. Mainland; Shop Now; My Vision; Gallery; Hats; Scarves; Mittens; Purses; Taking Measurements; Gift Wrap; Policies; Real Fur Reading; Etsy Reviews; Contact; Mainland; Shop Now; My Vision; ... Or Visit the Fur Shop! Sea otters aren't just cute -- they're a vivid example of life on the edge. But jumping through regulatory hoops is worth it for Gho. After a history of foreign exploitation, Alaska Native tribal groups now have exclusive rights to hunt for and work with the fur. He helps a student smear a thin layer of glue over a seam. There’s no harvest limit for Alaska Natives. Inspired designs on t-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. As top predators, sea otters are critical to maintaining the balance of nearshore ecosystems, such as kelp forests, embayments and estuaries. Now fishermen often complain there are too many. Lovely Lynx Trapper hat lined in Sea Otter Fur. Sea otters are a keystone species, meaning their role in their environment has a greater effect than other species. His sleeves are rolled up and he’s meticulously sewing a pair of seal skin mittens. Marcus Gho instructs Jeanette Strickland (left) and Pauline Young on how to sew with sea otter pelts in a Sealaska Heritage Institute workshop in Petersburg. I strive to have exceptional quality in my products and customer satisfaction is very important to me. He tries to use every inch: the pelts can run up to $200 each. Thank you for looking at my art and please contact me with any questions! Guylynn Etcher and Marcus Gho work wear pill box hats made of sea otter during a sea otter skin sewing class in Petersburg. Alaskan luxury at its finest. Anchorage, Alaska, 99503 Hours: 10:00am-6:00pm Monday through Saturday; 12noon-5:00pm Sunday ORDER BY PHONE: (907) 563-3877 ORDER BY FAX: (907) 561-4978 ORDER BY EMAIL: akgifts@alaska.net Ware says they’re tough, smart, and “they’re absolutely adorable when you see them, you know, they’re cute. My great grandmother Lizzy Semaken handmade all her family's fur garments to protect them in the harsh Alaskan climate. back to western Russia where it was traded to western Europe. This seal fur hat is a stock item, please check the shop for availability. But jumping through regulatory hoops is worth it for Gho. Sea Otter fur Jewelry and Accessories. He bags about 30 to 40 sea otters per year to make a variety of items like hats, mittens, scarfs, and teddy bears. Across town there’s a workshop happening to teach people how to sew the hides–by hand. Sea otter is the densest fur in the world, with upwards of one million hairs per square inch — downy hairs that can take to the air when cut. Ware is Tlingit from the Taakdeintaan Clan. One must be at least a quarter Alaska Native to possess tanned, unmodified skins. If you don't see a sea otter fur scarf you would like under the " SHOP NOW " link, ordering a customize scarf is simple. Custom Sea Otter, Seal, and Sea Lion fur clothing and art by Diana Riedel. And there should be plenty of sea otters to provide the materials. But I can incorporate other furs as well. Seal Skin and Sea Otter Fur Products. Many people suspected that sea otters already had gone the way of the proverbial dodo. Sea Otter fur headbands/scarfs come in small 22", med 23", & LG 24". As many as 20,000 southern sea otters may have lived along the coasts of California and Baja California at one time, but that is no longer the case. In the 1960s, about 400 animals were brought from the Aleutians to repopulate Southeast. Small, medium, large, or extra large. “Like these pill box hats, I always sew them by hand.”. When Russian fur hunters (promyshlenniki) came to eastern Siberia in the mid-seventeenth century in their pursuit of sable, the trade in sea otter already existed. Plain Scarves come in sizes: Small-2 x 40 inches) $200 I custom make all the products for Dineega Furs and I strive for the highest quality in my furs and sewing. Archaeological evidence indicates that for thousands of years, indigenous peoples have hunted sea otters for food and fur. If this class is any indication Alaska Natives will continue the craft. Tips for spotting a sea otter. Petersburg resident, Will Ware, stands near sea otter products in his gallery, The Cedar Box, in downtown Petersburg. In December, 2013, Robert journeyed by boat into Sitka Sound to harvest wild sea otters and was rewarded by bringing three of them home. If you want to talk more about your coat please call me at (907)738-1501. Petersburg resident, Will Ware, is sewing with it, hunched over a sewing machine in his living room. Photo taken in 1910 in Kaltag, Alaska. I am Alaskan Native from Cordova Alaska. All my real fur products are made from beginning to end by me. But the modern sea otter trade is slow going. Skin sewing is an art, as well as a necessity, that has been passed from generation to generation in our family. Welcome to Alaska Sea Otter Products-fur blankets, fur apparel Free Shipping on all orders over $100.00 Lizzy and Big George Semaken with two of their thirteen children. A sea otter rests on its back with its head, arms and flippers in the air, and looks like two lumps close together. He hunts up to 40 sea otters a year and says it’s not about money. They were nearly wiped out in the early 20th century by the fur trade. The sea otter relies on another insulation method —a thick fur coat. I like to mix traditional and contemporary materials and patterns with the cultural values and beliefs passed down to me. Sewing fur is a passion and I take every piece very seriously. Custom work/w sea otter furs-fur apparel, fur blankets, trapper hats, woman's hats, headbands, scarfs. Sea Otter fur contains over 1 million hairs per square inch making it the warmest & softest fur in existence. “They’re expensive,” Ware said. Real Otter Fur Pelts and Hides For Sale. The Most Exotic Fur in the World. Fur Products > Gortex Sea Otter Trapper Hat- Full fur lined Gortex Sea Otter Trapper Hat- Full fur lined SKU: $450.00. These items will last you years and years and I want you to be happy with the fit and style. The Russian hunters sent the sable, fox, squirrel, etc. Scarves are made in several styles, but most common are Plain and Multi-Fur Ends. Custom work with sea otter furs. High quality Sea Otter gifts and merchandise. Visit Our Website To See Our Complete Selection Of Quality Otter Furs and Skins For Sale From Glacier Wear. On down the coast the Russian hunters moved to present-day California. (Photo by Angela Denning/KFSK). Sea otters can sometimes be seen off sandy beaches — and even local harbors. But he also owns a gallery in Petersburg and sells his work online. The otter fur trade wiped them from existence. Federal regulations prevent mass production of sea otters. It’s not a huge money maker. They just happen to carry and wrap themselves up in the best fur in the world.”. Robert Miller, the Tlingit artist behind Sea Fur Sewing, creates exceptional quality crafted pieces with both traditional & modern styles. Lizzy handmade all the fur clothing for her f. “Our people, our clan were known for hundreds and hundreds of years as the harvesters of sea otter,” Ware said. Consider: The fur of the sea otter is denser than that of any other mammal, with some one million hairs per square inch (155,000 per sq cm). The sea otter can usually be found in kelp beds, and looks very much like lumps of kelp. Men's & Women's Real Otter Fur Gauntlet Mittens, Musher Mitts, Made by Glacier Wear Furs & Leather. It has to been done by individual craftsmen. Sea otter is the densest fur in the world, with upwards of one million hairs per square inch. But unlike sea otters, the sea cows didn’t survive the onslaught. Compared to the early period, the present fur business in the Bay Area is much smaller. About 90 percent of the world’s sea otters live in Alaska. (Photo by Angela Denning/KFSK). of sea otters and fur seals continued. “They’re expensive to get tanned, if you’re buying the hides they’re expensive to buy.”, Will Ware sews a pair of sea otter mittens in his living room. Lizzy and Big George Semaken with two of their thirteen children. Mittens can be made from seal, sea otter, or sea lion, Leather palms and polar fleece lining. Skin sewing is an art, as well as a necessity, that has been passed from generation to generation in our family. Nothing beats staying warm and dry while in an open boat, in winter going 30mph. (Photo by Angela Denning/KFSK), Alaska Coronavirus and COVID-19 Updates and Resources, Coronavirus Information from CDC and World Health Organizaiton, Register phones for Emergency Alert Notices - cell phones/land lines, Homegrown Conversations for Curious Minds - a KFSK and Public Library Podcast, CRAB BAIT RADIO ARCHIVE - KFSK fun and satire on all things that can fit into the pot, Frederick Soundings is an educational radio series produced in collaboration between the Petersburg Marine Mammal Center and KFSK Community Radio, Hooked On History is a fun and informative radio series produced in collaboration between Clausen Memorial Museum and KFSK Community Radio, Getting to know some of those that worked in Petersburg Canneries, 2018 Was A Milestone Year For Climate Science (If Not Politics), Smithsonian And National Zoo To Close After New Year’s Day In Government Shutdown, Contact Us 907-772-3808 / PO Box 149 Petersburg, AK 99833, https://www.kfsk.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/17SeaOtters-Alaska-Made.mp3. 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