FORE & AFT MARINE
FISH MOUNTS
What is Taxidermy?
Taxidermy is a general term describing the many methods of reproducing a life-like three-dimensional representation of an animal for permanent display. In some cases, the actual skin (including the fur, feathers or scales) of the specimen is preserved and mounted over an artificial armature. In other cases, the specimen is reproduced completely with man-made materials.
The word "taxidermy" is derived from two ancient Greek words; taxis, meaning movement; and derma, meaning skin. Therefore, loosely translated, taxidermy means the movement of skin. This is a fairly appropriate definition as many taxidermy procedures involve removing the natural skin from the specimen, replacing this skin over an artificial body, and adjusting the skin until it appears lifelike.
The
modern practice of taxidermy incorporates many crafts, such as carpentry,
woodworking, tanning, molding and casting; but it also requires artistic
talent, including the art of sculpture, painting and drawing. In a modern deer
head mount, for example, the only natural parts of the animal used are the
antlers and the skin. All of the other organs and tissues are recreated with
man-made materials. The eyes are made from glass, the eyelids are sculpted
from clay, the soft tissues of the nose and mouth are sculpted from epoxy or
wax, and the mannikin or "form" (which incorporates the anatomy of
each muscle and vein) is made from polyurethane foam.
Today,
some taxidermy mounts (most notably saltwater fish) do not contain any
parts of the animal at all. They are completely re-created from man-made
materials. This is ideal for catch-and-release anglers, who can release their
gamefish unharmed, and can still have a life-sized trophy produced from a good
color photo and measurements.
Works of taxidermy are displayed in museums, educational institutions, businesses, restaurants, and homes. There are many different methods for producing mounts (or re-creations) of different species.
Fish Taxidermy TechniquesAmong professionals, it is generally agreed that the most difficult branch of taxidermy is fish mounting. Creating a technically accurate fish mount can be a real challenge. The top award-winning fish taxidermists are almost all outstanding flat artists as well. The ability to draw, paint, mix colors, and sculpt are shared among most of the world's best fish taxidermists.
Mounting fish not only requires the ability to accurately recreate the anatomy of the subject, but to restore all of the colorations as well. When a fish skin dries, most of the color goes away, leaving only brownish patterns on the skin and scales. Fish taxidermy is the one area of wildlife art where the artist must totally recreate the colors of the skin all over the animal. In bird taxidermy, the taxidermist must paint the legs, feet, and bill, but the feathers retain their natural colors. In mammal taxidermy, the taxidermist must paint the nose and eyes, but the fur requires no color correction. In fish taxidermy, however, the taxidermist has to paint every square inch of the specimen, and make it appear natural.
There are a lot of different ways to produce a fish mount, and fish taxidermists usually are required to choose different mounting methods to match their particular subjects.
Warm
water fish with tough skins and large scales (such as bass, crappie, and
bream) are good candidates for skin mounts. A skin mount means that the fish
is skinned, the skin is preserved, and the skin is either mounted over a
mannikin, or the fish's body cavity is packed with a filler material which is
shaped and then allowed to harden. These types of fish are not particularly
greasy, so they are usually mounted with the natural skull still attached to
the skin. The fins and tail are also the real thing.
Cold
water fish such as trout, salmon, and char have thin, smooth skins with fine
scales. Their skins and bones are also more greasy than their warm water
cousins. Mounting these fish is a bit more difficult because any lump of mache
or hide paste under the skin can be visible. The preferred method for mounting
these specimens is over a smooth foam mannikin. The natural skulls are
sometimes used, but due to increased problems with shrinkage, spoiling, and
grease bleed-through, many taxidermists use artificial heads (cast in
polyester resin) attached to a natural skin-mounted body.
Most
saltwater fish (as well as many cold water fish) are entirely recreated from
man-made materials. Without question, these synthetic mounts are the most
long-lasting taxidermy renderings. While the fish is fresh, a carefully
constructed mold of the fish is made. Then, the body and fins of the fish are
cast in fiberglass reinforced polyester resin. The mold of the fish is called
a fiberglass "blank" at this point, because it has no markings or
color. The taxidermist must entirely create the coloration on the mount to
make it appear like a live fish.
Due to the restrictive costs of molding and reproducing fiberglass gamefish, it is not commercially feasible to make a special mold for every sportsman's catch, nor is it necessary. Taxidermists found out years ago that one 84" sailfish was shaped pretty much like any other 84" sailfish. A new industry was born as taxidermists with a good selection of fish molds started constructing multiple reproduction fish from their molds. These fiberglass fish blanks are sold to other taxidermists throughout the country who only have to prepare the fish and paint it to convincing coloration.
Fiberglass reproductions are gaining in popularity. They are ideal for use on difficult species to mount: large fish, greasy fish, or fish which are difficult to skin, such as catfish. They are also great for catch and release programs or other conservation methods. Another advantage is the longevity of the mount. A fiberglass reproduction could conceivably last for thousands of years. They are practically indestructible.
A Brief History of TaxidermyThousands of years ago when man first hunted for his food, he found that the skins of his prey, when treated with certain substances, could be preserved and used for clothing and shelter. The first taxidermists were primitive hunter-gatherers who crudely formed animal skins over mud and rock for use in their hunting rituals. Over the eons, as methods to preserve these skins improved and the need for tanned skins increased, the tanner became one of the most important members of the tribe.
As the demand for quality leather and skins grew, the methods became more and more sophisticated. By the 1700s almost every small town had a prosperous tannery business. In the 1800s, hunters began bringing their trophies to upholstery shops where the upholsterers would actually sew up the animal skins and stuff them with rags and cotton. The term "stuffing" or a "stuffed animal" evolved from this crude form of taxidermy. This practice produced some terrible looking mounts and gave taxidermy a bad reputation which still haunts the industry to this day. Professional taxidermists still shudder and take offense at the term stuffing. (The preferred word is mounting.)
In
the early 20th century, taxidermy began to evolve into its modern form under
the leadership of great artists such as Carl E. Akeley, William T. Horneday,
Coloman Jonas and Leon Pray. These and other talented pioneers developed
anatomically accurate mannikins which incorporated every detail--right down to
each muscle and tendon of the animal--in artistically pleasing poses. They
invented new techniques for mounting that allowed them to portray animals with
uncanny lifelike accuracy. They created mounts in realistic settings and poses
that were more appropriate for the species. This was quite a change from the
crude, snarling caricatures that were popularly offered as hunting trophies.
Taxidermy in the latter part of the twentieth century has developed into a full-fledged form of wildlife art, and the successful taxidermists of today must also be considered as fine artists in their own right. There are many different methods used today for producing mounts (or re-creations) of different species.
BELOW IS A CURRENT LIST OF MOUNTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE
CLICK ON PRODUCT NUMBER FOR PICTURE AND MORE INFORMATION
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THE FISH CARVER |
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| Product | Description | List Price | Our Price | Picture |
| MR-TARPON | TARPON
93"
OVER ALL 2 sided 220 lbs |
$1445.00 | $1145.95 INCLUDES FREE SHIPPING |  |
| MR-BARRACUDA |
BARRACUDA 62" OVER ALL 2 SIDED 45 LBS |
$945.00 | $745.95 INCLUDES FREE SHIPPING |  |
| MR-BULLSHARK | BULL SHARK FULL 129" OVER ALL 500LB | $1669.99 | $1325.95 INCLUDES FREE SHIPPING |  |
| MR-HAMMERHEAD | HAMMER HEAD SHARK 130" OVER ALL 400LB | $1649.99 | $1425.95 INCLUDES FREE SHIPPING |  |
| MR-SAILFISH | SAILFISH | $669.99 | $525.95 INCLUDES FREE SHIPPING |  |
| MR-BASS | LARGE MOUNT BASS 27" | $669.99 | $525.95 INCLUDES FREE SHIPPING |  |
| MR-GROUPER | GROUPER | $669.99 | $525.95 INCLUDES FREE SHIPPING |  |