Endangered on the Eastside

[SCS_Scooter]

Today is my day to spend hour after hour perusing the thrift stores of the eastside. I love finding the lone, vintage Fiesta cup or the nifty mid-century modern lamp but today I came across something that just creeped me out. One of the places had a gorilla fur jacket for sale. Real, honest to goodness, gorilla fur. I wanted to cry! How very sad and WTF in the same thought. They said it was from "way back when" but just got it in. Isn't it against the law to sell endangered species? From what I could garner from the internet, the owner had to be in possession of the item prior to it becoming an endangered species or something or other. [[if that's the case, the store owner is in violation as they just acquired it) I know they can't sell it to someone outside of the country and no one can buy one and bring it into the country but ...eeewwwwwwwww. Anyone know the ifs and ands? Just wondering.

[n7hn]

never wear it to the zoo

[Zacha341]

Argh... that sounds pretty weird ala the "Gimp" being hold up in that twisted pawn shop in Pulp Fiction. I've seen some strange things at resale and pawn shops but this is too biz-zarre!!

Today is my day to spend hour after hour perusing the thrift stores of the eastside. I love finding the lone, vintage Fiesta cup or the nifty mid-century modern lamp but today I came across something that just creeped me out. One of the places had a gorilla fur jacket for sale. Real, honest to goodness, gorilla fur. I wanted to cry! How very sad and WTF in the same thought. They said it was from "way back when" but just got it in. Isn't it against the law to sell endangered species? From what I could garner from the internet, the owner had to be in possession of the item prior to it becoming an endangered species or something or other. [[if that's the case, the store owner is in violation as they just acquired it) I know they can't sell it to someone outside of the country and no one can buy one and bring it into the country but ...eeewwwwwwwww. Anyone know the ifs and ands? Just wondering.

[Neilr]

Take a look at what's coming up for auction at the Friday auction at DuMouchelles next month.

http://www.dumouchelle.com

These items from the estate of Alfred S. Warren were scheduled to go up for bid several months ago but had to be withdrawn in order to secure the proper permits which, I assume, must now all be in order. The items can be sold to Michigan residents only.

The pictures don't really do this stuff justice. You have to see the collection in person. My "favorite" is item #0134.

[Stosh]

Dead animals aren't my cup of tea, so to speak. The 1994 Pistons Championship ring, the Dizzy Dean autograph baseball, etc are more to my interest.

Also the railroad bell, for that matter.

[gazhekwe]

The controlling law is the Endangered Species Act, which does list Gorillas as endangered, thus restricting sale of their fur or parts, even if vintage. Certain exceptions may apply, such as states allowing sale if there is proof the fur predates the Gorillas' addition to the Endangered list. Contact the US FIsh and Wildlife for further information. If the fur was transferred to the thrift store with such documentation, that might meet the condition.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service -- Wildlife Inspection Office, Bldg. 830
2599 World Gateway Place
Detroit, MI 48242
Phone: 734-247-6800
Fax: 734-247-6805
TTY: 1-800-877-8339 [[Federal Relay)
Email: MidwestNews@fws.gov

[Retroit]

Don't forget, long ago people weren't concerned about protecting animals and fur was stylish and quite functional before man-made materials. This whole area was first settled by Europeans who simply wanted to take fur back to the Europe [[not to mention the Indians, but I won't get into that with gazhekwe). A hundred years ago, it was stylish for women to wear exotic feathers [[and even whole birds) on their hats. Most of the exotic bird species in the Everglades were made extinct by this.

[SCS_Scooter]

Here is the jacket. I finally downloaded the pic from my cell phone.

[gazhekwe]

It's interesting about that. Sumas was talking about the book Ishmael on another thread. I looked it up, Ishmael is a gorilla who teaches the narrator about stories of life. The takers are acting out one kind of story. The leavers are acting out a different kind of story. The takers are the ones who came here as settlers, while the indigenous people were leavers. Very interesting how the stories combined over fur trading. I haven't read the book yet, but I wonder if Ishmael goes into that aspect of it.

[MikeM]

Maybe an eastside Belgian brought it home from the Congo.