Fellmonger
Encyclopedia
A fellmonger was a dealer in hides or skins, particularly sheepskins, who might also prepare skins for tanning. The name is derived from the Old English ‘fell’ meaning skins and ‘monger’ meaning dealer. Fellmongery is one of the oldest professions in the world and since ancient times, man has used the skins of animals to clothe himself, and for making domestic articles.
Today the term has become restricted to the person or the operator of the machinery which removes sheep's wool
or the hair
of other animals from hides in preparation for tanning
.
The process of fellmongering has to be done quickly after the animal is slaughtered to prevent the hides from decaying before tanning can begin. First they are trimmed of all unwanted pieces like legs, neck and tail then soaked in water to allow the skin tissues to distend. Next, a sodium sulfide
solution is applied to the skin side of the fleece. The sodium sulfide soaks through the skin and destroys the follicles
of the wool
roots so that the fellmonger could then separate the wool from the skins. The wool is washed and dried. The skins are then soaked in a stronger solution of sodium sulfide and lime for 21 hours to remove small clumps of wool missed by the puller and to break down some internal proteins within the skin. The next process is called deliming: the skins are soaked in a solution of water and ammonium sulfate
. This is to remove all the sodium sulfide from the skin and degraded proteins. The next process is the bating which is to remove any remaining protein from the surface.
Historically, fellmongers belonged to a guild or company which had their own rites and by-laws to regulate the quality of the skins, workmanship, treatment of apprentices and trading rights.
Today the term has become restricted to the person or the operator of the machinery which removes sheep's wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
or the hair
Hair
Hair is a filamentous biomaterial, that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class....
of other animals from hides in preparation for tanning
Tanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
.
The process of fellmongering has to be done quickly after the animal is slaughtered to prevent the hides from decaying before tanning can begin. First they are trimmed of all unwanted pieces like legs, neck and tail then soaked in water to allow the skin tissues to distend. Next, a sodium sulfide
Sodium sulfide
Sodium sulfide is the name used to refer to the chemical compound Na2S, but more commonly it refers to the hydrate Na2S·9H2O. Both are colorless water-soluble salts that give strongly alkaline solutions...
solution is applied to the skin side of the fleece. The sodium sulfide soaks through the skin and destroys the follicles
Hair follicle
A hair follicle is a skin organ that produces hair. Hair production occurs in phases, including a growth phase , and cessation phase , and a rest phase . Stem cells are principally responsible for the production of hair....
of the wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
roots so that the fellmonger could then separate the wool from the skins. The wool is washed and dried. The skins are then soaked in a stronger solution of sodium sulfide and lime for 21 hours to remove small clumps of wool missed by the puller and to break down some internal proteins within the skin. The next process is called deliming: the skins are soaked in a solution of water and ammonium sulfate
Ammonium sulfate
Ammonium sulfate , 2SO4, is an inorganic salt with a number of commercial uses. The most common use is as a soil fertilizer. It contains 21% nitrogen as ammonium cations, and 24% sulfur as sulfate anions...
. This is to remove all the sodium sulfide from the skin and degraded proteins. The next process is the bating which is to remove any remaining protein from the surface.
Historically, fellmongers belonged to a guild or company which had their own rites and by-laws to regulate the quality of the skins, workmanship, treatment of apprentices and trading rights.