Who is Leon Pray?

[Ken Edwards]

Here is an undated photo of Leon Pray at work.

[DougP]

Marshell, that bio is terrific!

Seeing the fish work of Leon Pray in the Hall of Fishes and the Bahama Reef Group at the Field Museum as a boy is a treasured memory.

Leon Pray was truly an inspiration to me as I became interested in taxidermy. I have many of his books and the Modern Taxidermist magazines with his drawings and articles.

I regret never attempting to contact him since he lived only a few miles away in Aurora in the early '70's when I began my interest in taxidermy.

The work he did on the Bahama Reef Group is absolutely incredible. I think I have pics taken 10-15 years ago of that diorama. If I  can find them I'll post.

If anyone has any other pics or drawings of Mr. Pray's it would be of great if you would post them.........

Thanks,

DougP

[marshell-with-an-e]

Doug,

I have 25 original fish sketches that Leon Pray did for a friend of mine, Ivan Harvey, he was a taxidermist and supplier in Arkansas.
I have duplicated several of the sketches, I place one in every skull box that I ship out,  it's my way of saying thank you to my customers.
So you need to buy a skull to get a free copy of Leon Pray fish drawing.
I think the tarpin is my favor.

Marshell

[Nancy C]

I just now saw your request, Doug.
I will add this to my "to do" list: Unfold Mr. Pray's pronghorn sketches and take photos of them.  I am hesitant to handle them very often because I'm afraid the paper may be getting brittle, but I have to admit that it would be a good idea to get some photos  of them "just in case."
They are on brown paper so I may have to do some experimenting and tweaking to get the contrast to work well enough for online viewing.

[DougP]

That would be very cool Nancy!

I still have to look for the pics of Mr. Pray's "Bahama Reef Group." 

DougP