How Many Remember Mounting On These Forms?

I’ve mounted on paper forms. I don’t miss them a bit!

 

I learned on them and used them for years. nothing wrong with them. They alowed you to learn anatomy and sculpting skills. I also mounted on fiberglass mannikins and burlap and plaster mannikins.
What I don’t understand is how someone today can buy a fancy ass all ready sculptured deer mannikin from McK for a hundred dollars and create a anatomical abortion of a deer.

 

Yeah I remember the first time I saw a deer manikin that looked like a deer . . . Auto set eyes, and some what even side to side. Unreal compared to the paper forms. I see some head scratchers from time to time. What's the biggest mystery to me is how the customers don't see it? I get customers that show me pictures and say "can you make it look like this?" I say NO I can but I wont! LOL

 

I never mounted on someone else's paper form, but I did create my own paper forms for a small PA buck and my second bear back 1981-1982. Definitely a learning experience.

 

I learned pro taxidermy on paper and fiberglass forms. I made hundreds in shops that I worked for. Taxidermists were paid 1/3rd of the retail price and we had to make our own form from shop molds and put in the head and backboard as part of the mount. This was SOP. If the shop used a Jonas form like for a lifesize the cost of the form was deducted from our 1/3rd pay. We also had to finish the mount to customer ready. We got paid even if the mount wasn't picked up right away. Everyone was happy with that arrangement.

 

Made plenty of those and mounted on them, deer, bear, elk, etc. Also used fiberglass later in my business. Then Joe Kish taught me how to get them ready to mount the right way.

 

Hey Jim,
Would you mind telling us what shop that was you worked for where you made your own forms?
I worked a year (70-71) at Woodbury's in Rawlins and he had high school kids making the paper forms after school and weekends. Lloyd W. modeled all his own forms and even sold lots of his paper forms to Frontier Taxidermy in Cheyenne. At Lloyd's is where I learned to make paper forms and then he hired a taxidermist from Jonas Bros. who also happened to be a form maker down there in Denver. That guy upschooled Lloyd's form makers skills (mine too) and now I don't know anyone who's paper laying is better than mine. I made a few for some of the work I did at the Denver Museum. I actually like making paper forms with a books-on-tape playing while slathering glue over wet rosin paper and pressing it into plaster molds.

 

I learned on laminated paper forms and mannikins. They made you learn to sculpt the details that were lacking on the forms due to molding restrictions ... plaster molds didn't hold much detail. Some of the earliest headforms I used were purchased from J.W. Elwood Supply Co.; M.J. Hoffman Supply in Brooklyn, NY; Clearfield Taxidermy Supply; and Jonas Brothers Taxidermy Supply; and also Bob's Taxidermy Supply in NY state. Later, I learned how to lay up paper mannikins while working for Walter E. Oelschlager in North Babylon, NY, who had molds made by another gentleman, whose name escapes me. When I went to work for Ronald Kuhlman - Luther W. Kuhlman & Son, Hempstead, NY - we laid up headforms from plaster molds he had as well, including paper earliners from metal molds. Not to mention wrapped bodies for the majority of lifesize mammal mounts, including few 'direct-built' mannikins, ala Leon L. Pray.

 

It's no wonder i was so far behind. I only had J.W. Elwood helping me. We boiled the skull, wired the jaw together and used 2x4s screwed through the skull and to a backboard. Then rolled excelsior and sewed it around the 2x4. Everything was a neck mount. Once the excelsior dried, it was plastered an the head clayed in. We used those big solid Hand painted eyes. That was 1959 out in the SC swampland.

 

With the 'Blue Glint'?

 

It was in Alaska in the 70s. I worked for Tommy Ray in Anchorage and at Boonedocks taxidermy in Eagle River. Also for Louie Brunner AAA Taxidermy and Frank Twardowski Alaska North Taxidermy both in Anchorage. Most of the forms we made were fiberglass but some paper. I sculpted and made plaster molds and paper forms in my own studio here in Powell Wyoming. Including a laying down lifesize ram which I advertised in Taxidermy Review Magazine. I sold dozens from that ad. My wife made all the forms from paper.

 

Thanks for the shout out Joe!
BTW... You must have told this before, but how did you happen to pick up the handle "Kastaway?"

 

Any one remember 27.00 dollar shoulder forms or 46.00 for a 5 gal. of hide paste.
I'm reminded every time I place an order.​

 

Anyone remember when your paper mannikin was shipped USPO WTH a label and stamp on the mannikin, no box ?

 

My DIL’s uncle used to make forms when he was a skinny kid for two bits an hour. He said he could get into the plaster forms and have glue all over himself.

 

I remember the first one I mounted was on a 2x4 at a angle and skull attached, hide treated with arsenic , back In 71 or 72
Was terrible
Threw away 15 years ago

 

Really long story, but early in my career I had all kind on episodes. Getting stranded on island in Canada, Alaskan guide forgot where he dropped me off, and much more I have forgotten.

 

Joe, these photos don't look that long ago. Can't stop looking at that elephant form - amazing!

 

The paper forms I remember were redish colored. I have mounted on a few whilst working for Conroe Taxidermy in the mid 80s.
I had been working at Jonas of Seattle (Klneburgers) . They had already switched to glass,

Even now sometimes some one will be throwing a small piece of plywood away. I'm thinking to my self, but wait we can get a backboard or at least head boards out of that . LOL