He broke his collarbone, developed pneumonia and died, prompting his Jacobite enemies in Scotland to toast “the little gentleman in the black velvet waistcoat.”īut the most interesting period in the history of moleskin was in the early 20th century, and centred on another British royal, Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII. Queen Alexandra was a fashion icon with enormous reach who set several trends among society ladies, like choker necklaces, high necklines, and “ summer muffs“. The moleskin waistcoat was ubiquitous, and a tragic event reminds us that even moles were said to wear them! In 1702, King William III, better known as William of Orange, was out riding when his horse, Sorrel, tripped on a molehill and threw him. Theologian William Buckland , who famously claimed to have eaten his way through the animal kingdom, described mole meat as “vile”, rivalled only by bluebottle flies.) (There was no money in the meat, however. From at least as early as the 18th century, every parish in England employed a molecatcher who supplemented his income by selling the pelts. Historically, moleskin had a following wherever moles were hunted as pests, and particularly in the UK. A single molehill, shown under Sorrel’s hoof, brought down the royal House of Orange. (Cheaper hats used rabbit while everyday hats used American beaver.) Above all, though, moleskin has always been associated with the fronts of waistcoats. These plates are – or at least were – then made into coats or trousers requiring 500 pelts or more, the lining of winter gloves (fur side in), and a very soft felt for premium top hats. The most common colour is dark grey or “taupe” (French for mole), but light grey, tan, black and even white have all been observed. The tiny pelts are cut into rectangles and sewn together into plates which are almost always dyed because natural colours are so variable, making it difficult to find a large number of matching pelts. Moles have never been a great fit for the fur trade because they’re so small – an adult measures only 4.3 to 6.3 inches long. This may sound obvious, but a completely different fabric made of cotton is also called “moleskin”, and is far more common these days. ![]() ![]() This unique fur was once favoured by British high society, and at the height of its popularity gave value to a pest that was being trapped anyway, thereby satisfying a fundamental requirement of the ethical use of animals: minimisation of waste.įirst some clarification: Moleskin, or mole skin, or mole fur, or simply mole, is the fur of moles, and where the fur trade is concerned, specifically the European mole ( Talpia europaea). Though rarely seen these days, moleskin deserves a special mention in the history of the fur trade. Moleskin is rare these days, but moles certainly aren’t.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |