I shot a bull ele in May and the skin panels are currently in Zim awaiting shipment. Has anyone any advice on whether I should have them tanned in Zim or here in the UK. Also what colour should the leather be dyed and what use have you put it to. When I last visited the Westley Richards shop in Birmingham they had a large desk which has a leather top in dark brown ele hide and it looks fantastic.
Any advice would be appreciated.

We have had elephant skin tanned in Zimbabwe, in brown and baige.

My wife had it put on some settees, and it looks great.

I will take some photos and post them.

I'd strongly advise against importing any raw trophy into the UK. The vet inspectors are paranoid about foot and mouth and stick absolutely to the rules. If, for example, a single stamp is even slightly smudged or the date incorrect, or the shippers fail to give them 24 hours notice of arrival, they hold the consignment (at your storage cost) and give you the choice or sending the whole consignment back to country of origin and then sent back to the UK (again, all at your cost) or destruction of the entire consignment.........

Helpful, they ain't!!!!

hAVE IT TANNED IN ZIM THE DO A SUPPERCLASSS WORK MUCH CHEAPER THAN IN THE UK. .i DID MY READING CHAIR.. SO GOOD MEMORIES

i agree with all here , have it tanned in zim ...

Keep in mind that third world countries such as Zimbabwe are likely to still be using the most effective chemicals for tanning. In the US or Europe safety and disposal rules often force the use of "safer", but less effective, chemicals.

It'd probably be a lot cheaper in Zim as well.......also cheaper shipping costs due to the lighter weight of the finished/shaved product.

Make sure they do not shave it to thinnn...
Had some come back in a buckskin color and also light grey made gun cases in ZIM...

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by retreever:
Make sure they do not shave it to thinnn...
Had some come back in a buckskin color and also light grey made gun cases in ZIM...

Mike

Good advice there from Mike but you should be able to stipulate the thickness you want.

Robert,

I have done it both ways, shipped salted and tanned in the US or tanned in Zim. I strongly urge you to have it done in Zim. The quality of the tanned leather is much nicer. Shipping of the tanned leather is also much less than the salted hides.

IIRC, we can no longer import into the US finished product from eles, like gun cases...

On the tanning, I checked here in the US and the unanimous advice from Taxidermist was to have it done there in Zim.

I have 12 panels on the way, four each brown, natural grey and black.

I will be having some leather wing chairs in my trophy room re-covered as well as a footrest. I also have a "London" style "gundesk" with a leather top that will get the ele leather. I think a couple of oak and leather gun cases done in elephant and some soft guncases too, as well as my home office chair.

JPK

JP

Hope you won't mind my pointing out that the question refers to the UK not the US, therefore the import restrictions will be different.

Yes, I am and was aware that the original poster is from the UK. However, I was responsing on that point to the post quoted below, and for the possible benfit of the other four posters on this thread with US locations noted.

quote:

Originally posted by retreever:
Make sure they do not shave it to thinnn...
Had some come back in a buckskin color and also light grey made gun cases in ZIM...

Mike

Ah, that explains it. I thought you were referring to the original post.

Many thanks to everyone for the advice. You have provided me with an easy decision.
I have just confirmed that I will have the tanning done in Zim and I have emailed to the tannery in Bulawayo to enquire about thicknesses and colours etc.
It will probably end up on a chair as I know someone very well who has a furniture company ( he is married to my wife )
I look forward to seeing Saeed's pictures.

Here are a few photos of our room. The wall paper is in ostrich skin style. You can see the two colours in the room, especially by the sable mount.

And some close up of it and the elphant skin.

Contact Game Skins Ltd. in Bulawayo. They do fabulous things with game skins. Some of the best I've seen, and I've seen....
LDK

Saeed, are you sure Walter didn't substitute your Ostrich skins for Porcupine? He was selling Ostrich on Ebay the other day???

Thanks Saeed
That beige colour looks great. I would never have thought of having it done in a pale colour. Where did you have the tanning and dying done? Great looking room - are you sure you have enough rifles ?????

quote:

Originally posted by R.Jolly:
Thanks Saeed
That beige colour looks great. I would never have thought of having it done in a pale colour. Where did you have the tanning and dying done? Great looking room - are you sure you have enough rifles ?????

The tanning was done in Zimbabwe, and done very well too.

I have always been taught that one cannot have too much money, too many rifles or too many women.

After I got married, I had to forget the last bit of the above, but there is no way in hell I am going to give up on the other two

That is one good looking room!

It's a shame to have to hide one's guns in safes like we do in the U.S. I'd much rather be able to display them in cases like what you have.

Some look in the last pic like they have colored stocks?

Benchrest rifles

Shack,

You can find furniture quality true gun safes with clear bullets proof "glass" and multiple 1" bolts on the door(s). They are not inexpensive, but they are available.

I will see if I've saved a link. Alternatively do a search or look in the SCI publications for ads.

I alarm my trophy room, with some guns displayed, and feel all is secure. A gun without ammo is a stick, so ammo is locked in a seperate room.

JPK

quote:

That beige colour looks great. I would never have thought of having it done in a pale colour. Where did you have the tanning and dying done?

rj ...they call that champagne when you order just fyi

I had the hide tanned in Chiredzi (sp?) close to the SAVE. They emailed me and asked what colours I wanted. I had to ask what colours they offered: black, dark brown, mid-brown and grey. I had half done in grey and the rest in the other colours. They they asked about the trunk. Black I said.
Anyhow, the grey came back a bit more slate-grey than the natural colour. And there is plenty of it. But the mid-brown and black are awesome.
I like the champagne colour, too.
Slowed up the shipment somewhat, but I think it was worth it. I doubt there are many experienced ele tanners here in Canada.
You will enjoy your hide, Mr. Jolly!

What does this run? How big are the panels?
Thanks, Peter.

Good Question...I certainly would NOT pay the airlines to haul extra thick hides and salt that will be washed and trimmed away at the tannery save the raw hide imports that have been spoken about!! I had my ele tanned by the old Trophy Expeditors in Bulawayo and VERY pleased. That said, here is a caution, they have been sold and one of our famous PH's there has cautioned me that he has changed taxidermists for all trophy procesing.
One thing that many folks and PH's forget to take are the ears, great for art work in map shape of Africa, the Trunk...also very interesting for art work or just a wall hanging, impressive, the last foot of tail shin with any hair you are not having made into bracelets made into a fan or duster type piece, the skin on the head especially with the eye included...fantastic for a door or bar panel, or even unique Vest. Although not politically correct these days...but good for days of old..the feet for stools/wastebasket/umbrella holder. Clearly lots of choices and lots of fun and conversation generated around it!!
Good luck.
Say, while I am writing, does anyone have the contact in US info for a company that makes fantastic Vests from game hides called Skins and Bones someplace in Texas?? They make GREAT vests, coats, bags...from all kinds of hides...any other suggestions for this kind of work...I can't find them??