Sable Fur, the Most Luxurious of Them All

Sable fur is actually marten fur. The sable is an animal that’s part of the weasel family that’s native to America, Asia, and Europe. However, sable fur is synonymous to Russian fur. It is the finest, most expensive and most luxurious marten available on the market. The best sable fur originates from the Barguzin Valley in Russia. It is silkier and denser compared to the sable from Canada. There are also Japanese and Chinese sables in the market, but they are considered the lowest in quality. Most sables are wild and protected in sanctuaries, while some have been bred in ranches. However, Russia has limited the sale of breeding stock. That’s why Russian fur is hard to come by.

When it comes to high quality sable fur, the Russian government has a monopoly. V/o Sojuzpushnina, the Russian trade organisation, holds auctions for furs in January, July and October. It is only during those auctions where sable and other furs from Russia are made available for the rest of the world. The proceeds of the auction go to the coffers of the government.

During the czarist times, a large portion of the imperial family’s income came from sable fur, and they only sold sable fur to other crowned heads. However, Barguzin sable, which is the finest sable, was reserved for the Russian imperial family. That was the reason why it was known as imperial or crown sable.

High quality sable fur is silkier than mink with its silvery-tipped guard hairs. It has a rich brown colour with a blue cast. Golden sable is also available on the market, which is less expensive than prime sable. It has an amber or reddish colour. In general, all sable furs are expensive. They might be heavy in price, but they are very light in weight.