Kathi, thank you again for an informative post.

I am most fortunate to have a copy of Akeley's book, "In Brightest Africa". If you are able to find a copy, snap it up.

The main entry of the New York Museum of Natural History bears his name because he collected the elephants that appear there and mounted them. I consider it the number one must-see place in New York for any hunter. He also did many of the dioramas that are still on display, a real tribute to his skills.

Akeley made a monumental change in the practice of taxidermy. Prior to his work, skins were stuffed with straw, rags, etc. He invented the mannikin, the basis of all modern taxidermy. I believe he was trained in the arts. I still don't know why the forms for taxidermy are called mannikins and the things in the stores (you know, those forms they put the sexy lingerie on) are manequins. Not sure of the spelling on the later. Maybe one of the taxidermists here can help answer this question.

Akeley accompanied Roosevelt on his famous safari as resident taxidermist. It is true that he found hunting distasteful, but necessary.

Mrs. Akeley was just as notable as the husband. Carl was badly injured deep in the bush and the bearers were about to abandon the husband and wife. Mrs. Akeley convinced them to carry on, with force of arms as I recall, thereby saving Carl's life.

This would be a great book for Safari Press to reprint

quote:

The Death Of Taxidermy?

Today, stuffing animals — even if they aren't packed full of sawdust and other scraps anymore — is seen as brutal, even barbaric.

"I think there is a lot of ambivalence about it in natural history museums. I mean there is really no need to go kill these animals anymore to put them on display for entertainment or edu-tainment," Kirk says, because of the high-tech video tools available.

Up until this point he was going along just fine!

Seems a shame to use the life of a great man as back door to such a shallow onesided opinion!

Mike O

Biggest crock of sh@# I've ever read about taxidermy and an insult to Akeley. Why post a link to this NPR garbage? Akeley was an artist, conservationist and Pioneer in the taxidermy industry.

One never really gets the scale of an animal until they stand next to one and videos never do this justice. When I first saw an ostrich in real life I was blown away at the size and was intimidated to say the least.

The same people who bitch and moan about taxidermy are the ones who try to convince us that we need go no farther than our iPads to live our lives; after all, everything in on the Internet, why even leave the effing house?

To Jerry Huffaker:
Can you tell us why taxidermy forms are mannikins and department stoer forms are mannequins? Honest question.

I do not know of it being specificly spelled out in any historic literature but the below facts lead to a reasonable deduction;

In Akeley's time;

"Manikin" was the term used to discribe life-sized human models used in medical education.

While Mannequin was a French word used to discribe "an artist's jointed model" steming from the Middle Dutch word mannekijn, meaning "little man, figurine".[3] This term migrated to the US primarily with the fashion industry associated with live models almost excusitvely female.

Akeley and museums were closely linked to high educational endevours in that era.


Best regards
Mike Ohlmann
Mike's Custom Taxidermy Inc.
4102 Cane Run Rd.
Louisville KY 40216
502-448-1309
Mike@mikescustomtaxidermy.com

Thanks Mike. I'm always pleasantly surprised at the info supplied on AR.
Brice

Re;

quote:

...surprised at the info supplied on AR.

10/4; collectively we are certainly well read and can recite volumes from Kathi's proverbial "book"


"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page."
kathi@wildtravel.net


Best regards
Mike Ohlmann
Mike's Custom Taxidermy Inc.
4102 Cane Run Rd.
Louisville KY 40216
502-448-1309
Mike@mikescustomtaxidermy.com

You'll find all the books by (and about) Carl Akeley, Delia Akeley (his 1st wife) and Mary Jobe Akeley (his 2nd wife) part way down the page here: http://www.shakariconnection.c...shelf-authors-a.html

Akeley really was a fascinating character and his stories about the famous 1909 Roosevelt safari is really only just the very tip of the iceberg that must have been such an interesting man.

the book section of Steve's wed site is awesome. the rest of it an't bad either but the book section is great. and it's christmas yes that is a blatened plug of for steve

The problem is I can't resist it myself either..... Just this week, I've bought 5 or 6 books from it.

Now all I need to do is find the time to read 'em.

Steve,

My shopping list is larger than my wallet. Of course that does not take much

shakari,
thank you for the info. although I have some experience hunting severalAfrican countries, I'm not really that well connected with many other experienced folks. Will you be in Reno? I'd very much like to make contact.
Brice

Brice,

'Fraid we don't do the conventions but if it'll help, feel free to email me at shakari3@mweb.co.za or if you have skype, you can get me on kuduland.

quote:

Originally posted by ddrhook:
the book section of Steve's wed site is awesome. the rest of it an't bad either but the book section is great. and it's christmas yes that is a blatened plug of for steve

Steve's "wed" site??? Now I am confused?? Does this refer to the church, the honeymoon suite or the matrimonial bed? Does Mrs Robinson have "knowledge" of this?

so my dialectic side is getting the better of me I don't proof read what I write here your supposed to know what I mean

quote:

Originally posted by ddrhook:
so my dialectic side is getting the better of me I don't proof read what I write here your supposed to know what I mean

DIALECTIC; n[often plural], the art of arguing, logical dexterity, debating method etc. Then I get a pink bottom shown my way.
Of course this could be symptomatic of an insect bite in the company of one Steve Robinson whilst visiting the dark continent.

insect bite my a$$ the dang Ph was chewing on my artificial leg but in my case dyslectic is seeing things backward TOLD YOU I NEVER PROOF READ BEFORE HITTING TH SEND BUTTON

ya if Steve is going on a honeymoon he will be in deep trouble when Susan finds out where ha has been

quote:

Originally posted by ddrhook:
he will be in deep trouble when Susan finds out

That's the normal state of affairs here my friend!

ya but she has not figured out that your like a stray dog if she stopps feeding you, you will stop begging