Fur tanning is one of the oldest ways of preserving an animal skin and turning it into a practical, durable material. On this hands-on two-day course, Dr. Theresa Emmerich Kamper will introduce you to the traditional skills and techniques used to transform a raw fur into a soft, flexible and usable finished material.

Working with a fur pelt provided as part of the course, you will learn the complete tanning process from preparing the skin through to the final smoking stage. The course is designed to give you a genuine understanding of what is involved rather than simply demonstrating a finished process, with you carrying out the practical work yourself throughout the weekend.

You will learn how to rehydrate and prepare the pelt, remove the unwanted tissue, apply the tanning dressing and then work the hide as it dries to develop the characteristic softness and flexibility of traditionally tanned fur.

The final stage is smoking the finished hide, an important part of the traditional process which helps protect the leather and gives the finished fur its characteristic appearance and feel.

At the end of the course, you will take home the fur you have worked on, together with the knowledge and practical experience needed to continue developing your tanning skills.

No previous experience of tanning is required. The emphasis throughout is on practical learning, giving you the opportunity to develop a skill that has been used for thousands of years to make valuable use of animal skins.