Zebra Mount Mystery Solved!

[Clay.]

Thank you both for this thread.

[John Bellucci]

this is want i allways enjoyed about the thrill of being a museum taxidermist in my life...all that was important was the quality of the project...its perfection...rarely there was a time issue....we would know a year or two in advance what project was planned and had ample time to design, sculpt and create....not the issue of needing to  get out 5 deer heads and 10 fish this week....i couldn't have handled that...not having to rush on any specimen was a joy...

It's funny in a coincidental way, but my wife, Cheryl, has always vocalized my thoughts, in that I am a museum Taxidermist in a commercial Taxidermists world.  And now with the advent of emails, some clients are becoming a bigger pain in the ass than ever.  I've always felt I was of another time in my approach to the work.  And this latest idea of a damn near immediate turnaround is absolutely ludicrous!  The old phrase "haste makes waste" is more true now than ever before.

John.

[Bill Yox]

Well, seeing as how a museum wont be hiring me any time in my lifetime, I do the next best thing. I work at MY pace and those who dont like it, dont leave work with me. I run my studio, not them. Im thankful for the business, but again, at MY pace. not someone elses...

[Saberjet]

Great post! My daughter tried to walk into that diorama when she was about three, but didn't see the glass 

[Light Rail Coyote]

Fantastic! I love when this sort of thing happens. The history behind your photo, Rusty, is amazing!

If you don't mind me asking, is it original, or a print?

And that one zebra with the open mouth...did they use the real teeth? I love mounts like that. What an exceptional historic piece.

[John Bellucci]

Well, seeing as how a museum wont be hiring me any time in my lifetime, I do the next best thing. I work at MY pace and those who dont like it, dont leave work with me. I run my studio, not them. Im thankful for the business, but again, at MY pace. not someone elses...

I'm the same way Bill.  I refuse to play into "I can get it back to you in ____ days!"  Like you, I'm a one man operation - total quality control - and I'll be damned if anyone thinks they're going to rush my work.  My saying is: "Good work takes time, the best takes a little longer".  If you want it back in a hurry, sorry ... but you can go elsewhere.  All that being said, they more often than not leave their trophy with me.  I'm not slow ... I'm not fast ... I'm halffast! LOL!

Fantastic! I love when this sort of thing happens. The history behind your photo, Rusty, is amazing!

If you don't mind me asking, is it original, or a print?

And that one zebra with the open mouth...did they use the real teeth? I love mounts like that. What an exceptional historic piece.

LRC,

The photo is an original photograph from the period.

Yes, those are the real teeth.  If you look closely at the photo where the mannikins are being assembled - and if you've ever seen the front section of Zebra skull - then you can tell it's the actual preserved bone and real teeth in the mannikin.  In fact, notice the gums have been modeled in wax, colored, and appear moist!


As an aside ... I found this in my internet search of the AMNH's "The American Museum Journal" from January 1914.  It is the same Santen Brothers who created the above Zebra mounts, illustrating the strength of 'modern mannikins'.  So how cool is this?


Our chosen field has a rich history, indeed!

John.

[museum man]

its not so much you guys getting it back to the customer when you want on your terms...my point was that i could spend 6 months or a year on say one large specimen with no time limit such as if i don't produce so many trophys for customers every few weeks i can't pay the electric bill....that kind of thing was what i ment....i'm sure you guys do run your studios the way you want to...but, if you don't produce product fast enough to pay the overhead i would think your screwed....

[Bill Yox]

We just tell em up front that we arent doing it at the commercial speed, but at our speed. Most move on, and thats certainly ok. The ones who stay, know what to expect. We still gotta get the work out and the money in. I understand.

[museum man]

i would do it the same way bill....rome wasn't built in a day, i wouldn't want the customers that wanted fast food taxidermy ...

[meropespaniel]

old thread, I know... but wow! I go to school at Carnegie Mellon University and go to this museum (for free, haha), and when I was reading your post and saw the photos of those four zebras I practically grew up with I swear my eyes were the size of dinner plates!

Thank you so much for finding this out and posting; now I can school some of my out of town friends next time we hit the museum .

[Travis de Villiers]

absolutely amazing works of art, it makes you really appreciate being a part of it all!!!
Thank you John,
old school rocks and you know it!!!
look forward to more of these history lessons!