Taxidermy.Net Forum - AMNH Taxidermy by George Adams.

George Adams ... little known, and pretty much one of the unheralded names in Taxidermy is responsible for some pretty impressive mounts. This is a little photo record of just a scant few his accomplishments. But first some background.

George Adams (1909-?) On staff of the AMNH from 1940 through 1953, Adams made major contributions to the Hall of North American Mammals, most notably the large male mountain lion, the jaguar, the two running wolves, and the mule deer specimens. Adams provided the taxidermy for the cheetah, chimpanzee, mandrill, and black-and-white colobus monkey specimens for the Akeley Hall of African Mammals, and created the model of the moa for the New Zealand diorama in the Whitney Memorial Hall of Pacific Bird Life.

This typical December winter scene is placed at the margin of Gunflint Lake, Minnesota. The time is midnight. The temperature has fallen well below zero. The "curtain" type of Northern Lights blazes upwards from the horizon. The constellations Ursa Major (the Big Dipper) and Ursa Minor (The Little Dipper) can be recognized above. This group was collected with full cooperation of the Department of Conservation of the state of Minnesota.

I recall the very first time I saw these animals in their exhibit. I was pretty young, and they scared the crap out of me ... well, almost, anyway! Their diorama is down a curving hallway, and as I came around one part I was face-to-face with this huge lead wolf!

Now, to my little but overly imaginative little mind ... this Wolf was jumping right out at me! I was actually the one doing the jumping!

This photo essay shows the creation of the lead Wolf, by the talented, George Adams.
First, the skeleton is cleaned, dried, wired and posed over a centerboard core. The head was previously cast from the wolf's own skull, thus creating a paper headform.

Plaster-dipped burlap strips were applied over the torso, neck, and haunches to build these areas out some, and give the sculptor a solid base to apply the clay to. You can see that sculpting on the left front leg had already begun!

The completed clay model, showing placement begun of setting dividing dams to the upper portion of the neck and shoulders, to create the multi-piece mold.

The first layer of plaster -- or "splash coat" being applied to the clay model. This is followed by heavier subsequent layers of plaster, and reinforced plaster. That is plaster reinforced with strips of burlap, wads of excelsior or "tow", and later steel rods or pipe.

And here is the reinforced and braced plaster piece mold. Notice the front of the paper headform sticking out of the plaster mold ... it will later be incorporated into the full mannikin. Hey ... waste not -- want not!

Here is the beautiful, shellacked lifesize mannikin for the lead wolf. Gorgeous! Oh ... it's a boy!

The lead Alaskan Timber Wolf mount, completed and ready for installation in North American Mammal Hall.

Even more amazing, was George Adams' bird work! Here he is putting the finishing touches on "Raffles", a talking Myna Bird of the day.

But perhaps the most amazing "mount" of all, was actually a restoration of the extinct "Moa" ... a giant flightless bird that was exterminated because people wanted to wear their feathers!

Here is the process George Adams used to create the extinct Moa. The dates given, show just what the timeframe was for this project.

As with all taxidermy, an armature of wood, wire, hardware cloth, and in this case, carved and shaped wooden leg bones, were assembled into the pose chosen by the artist ... May, 1951.

Next -- again as in the usual museum taxidermy practice -- a clay model was built up and sculpted. The lower legs and feet are separate castings ... June, 1951.

Like all the other museum mounts, a plaster piece mold was made of the model, and a reinforced paper, burlap, and plaster hollow mannikin was cast from the mold. A heavier set of legs and feet were sculpted and cast and added to the "mannikin", as well as a separate detailed upper neck and head casting. Then the fun part began! I believe those are Emu feathers that are being poked into the model ... one at a time! ... April, 1952.

The off side of the Moa. The opening is how the parts of all laminated paper and burlap mannikins in museums were secured when reassembled. It appears only the show side of the bird was fully feathered, and that's completely understandable ... or the hole was to be covered, sealed from the outside, and the feathering completed. If someone knows for sure ... please let us know! ... April, 1952.

There is Mr. George Adams at work with the feather placement. I can almost here him now: "How do I get out of this 'chicken outfit'?!" ... April, 1952.

Here is the finished restoration of the extinct Moa, awaiting its turn to be installed into its very own Diorama! ... April, 1952.

Finished in ... 1952, the Moa stands in its Diorama, being admired by a pair of visitors. There's only a couple of things missing ... well, there's Moa, but where are Larrya and Curlya? "Nyuk-nyuk-nyuk!" Couldn't help it!

Here are some pictures of other mounts done by George Adams.

Cheetah Group:

Mandrill Group:

Another angle view:

Chimpanzee Group:

Colobus Monkey Group:

Mountain Lion Group ... the big male sitting to the left:

Jaguar Group:

Mule Deer Group ... and for Close Encounters fans ... that is Devil's Tower painted in the background:

As always, I hope you enjoyed this presentation!

John.