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Moderncelt Veteran user Twin Cities MN 343 Posts |
Got a question for the gaffers out there. I remember years ago seeing mermaids or sea-fairies in a sideshow. Not the Fiji mermaid type, these were made from stingrays or skates that had been cut and dried. Has anyone seen any recently. I haven't seen any in years. I can't even find a picture of one on the net. I'd like to try and find one for my own collection.
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Slim Price Inner circle 1935 - 2006 1326 Posts |
Check in with Doug Higley (Xmosis) He sets the standards!
Slim
sanscan@tds.net
"I will never bitter be, as long as I can laugh at me!" "The people who were dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music" |
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
They are all over the net. Look for 'devil fish' among other names. Some even try to pass 'em off as a Chupacabra (last month in New mexico).
They are cut from a Guitar Fish and there is a lady that makes some nice ones...I'll have to find her emails and the links to her site. Be advised, these things stink to high heaven and need to be kept in a sealed glass case, frame or box. Sometimes there is an old mexican lady who sells them at the San Diego Flea market. Doug CryptoIllusions.us Moderncelt: eMail me or PM me to remind me...I'll find you the source. Doug (and why thank you Slim! gawrsh.)
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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Moderncelt Veteran user Twin Cities MN 343 Posts |
Thanks for the tip. I had planned on keeping it in a shadow box. I've got a couple gaffs and pictures up on my wall, I was just hoping to add to my collection. My wife on the otherhand, would be overjoyed if my collection "disappeared"
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drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
The lady to whom Doug refers is Sarina Brewer of Custom Creature Taxidermy. She has preserved Sea Devils that don't have to be kept under glass to protect the living. See also "Something Strange" by Doc Shiels.
Sarina is a pleasure to deal with. You get a very different look from the creatures that Doug captures and preserves. I assume that they are drawing their stock from different ecosystems. Yours, Paul |
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Moderncelt Veteran user Twin Cities MN 343 Posts |
Oh hell, I know Sereena! *slaps palm on forhead* She's right here in Mpls. I went and saw her show of Rogue Taxidermists. First heard about her on NPR. A real cutie too. I don't remeber seeing a sea devil in her show though. I'll have to ask her the next time I see her.
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Todd Robbins V.I.P. New York 2922 Posts |
They are also known a Jenny Havers.
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Yeah...that's her. Considering the level of her work, I don't think you need worry about the smell as Doc Wilson said. Many are just cut, dried and salted and PU.
Jenny Hannivers...Jenny Hanovers...an old world term for the critters of Mer.
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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oscarquella New user 32 Posts |
Moderncelt, maybe you saw my goat at Creative electric Studios when you were there? These guys beat me to suggesting Sarina. I also saw one at Dick Horne's place in Baltimore I think. They're really cheap.
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Moderncelt Veteran user Twin Cities MN 343 Posts |
Very likely, which one was it? Does he have a web site? Dick Horne, not your goat.
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Todd Robbins V.I.P. New York 2922 Posts |
Dick Horne was James Taylor's partner on the Dime Museum in Baltimore. They parted company recently.
I had a two headed chick from Sarina. We had it on display in the theater where I did Carnival Knowledge. It was not in a bell jar. One morning, I came in and found just one head off to the side, two chick feet and a pile of small feathers. I'm guessing is what done by a Chupacabra. At least that how I displayed the remains. |
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Dick Horn has an item on display he named 'The Higley Wiggley'...but it's not one of mine...some one sent me a picture...it's not even close.
Some body told him it was one of mine though when they sold it to him I guess. I emailed him but never heard back. Maybe Dick made it himself and just named it in 'honor of'...hahaha. Counterfeit Higley's...what's the world comin' to!
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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oscarquella New user 32 Posts |
http://www.dimemuseum.net will take you to the American Dime Museum. I don't know if there's a picture of his Jenny Havir. I'm not even 100% sure that his place is where I saw it- I visited so many places when I was out east last summer.
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handa Inner circle Pittsburgh, PA 1357 Posts |
I got my first of hopefully several(!) Higley originals yesterday (A Mer) in the mail and I'm not disappointed!
Doug put a lot of time into making sure that I was comfortable with the piece. My wife is also pleased with it. We will be taking it to a weekend-long show in late June. Doing business with Doug is and has been great. He takes a lot of pride in his work and will not send anything out that does not meet his own, personal standards. I'm basing a new show around the mer, and planning on using a couple of other Higley originals to fill other gaps. The agency I work with is both curious and interested. We definitely feel that we have a unique product to offer to our market. Thanks again, Doug. I look forward to seeing the other pieces! Chris P.S.--If anybody has any specific questions, please feel free to PM me as well. However, there's nothing that I would say privately about doug that can't be posted on this forum. |
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drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Thanks fellers...always good to hear nice feedback!
There's some new 'critter' photos and stuff on site at http://lionpointstudio.com and a display tip or two. Doug
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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Harry Murphy Inner circle Maryland 5444 Posts |
Doug, I see that Ms. Murphy is up and looking good on your site! So far she has made her cost back plus a very, very tidy profit. She is a little moneymaker for me! I follow your plan/advice pretty closely. Folks, I can’t recommend the Higley wonders high enough.
My “What is it?” ‘Zibit is about all I am doing lately as I make the slow comeback from my deer hunting adventure! She made it to DC this weekend for the Memorial Day Rolling Thunder; Ride to the Wall (motor cycles to the Viet Nam memorial). There were over 200,000 motorcyclists converging on the Mall. That is tons and tons of people just wanting to see and do something. I was set up in the trunk of my car (for ease in breaking down in case the law wanted to move me on!), with a simple “What is it?” banner sign down the side of the car and across the top of the trunk. I got to the area at Oh-dark-thirty so managed a pretty good spot near the monument and near a food vendor and a T-shirt vendor. At a dollar a pop, I had lines all day. Suffice to say, it was a very good day! I let people look as long as they wanted (but the subtle pressure from those who waited keep the line moving). I had one kid come back maybe five or six times (I only charged him once! He’s the future!). The law left me alone. The other vendors got some spill over from my lines (and me from theirs!).
The artist formally known as Mumblepeas!
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
A word of caution to all those reading Harry's testimonial...Harry is equipped with exceptional talent thus is able to handle 200,000 motorcyclists with aplomb.
*** Harry! Way to go! I love to hear that stuff. Your the only other one I ever heard do the 'trunk of the car' bit besides me. Ain't we got fun! (and Major Nads!) Glad to see that ONE kid is still showing up. 'He' was always my motivation. That kid was me and you and yes, the future. I loved it when maybe a week later at a Flea Market or Fair a Mother would approach the booth and say.."This is ALL my Son has talked about all week! I guess I'd better see the darn thing!" And then we'd have a little talk about nurturing that kids curiosity and making sure she got him to as many Museums as possible etc etc Life IS grande sometimes. Nice going Harry!
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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Harry Murphy Inner circle Maryland 5444 Posts |
Thanks Doug! I actually went to Rolling Thunder to do a little busking. I planned to do my magic show and pitch the ‘Zibit as an extra to give me time for a break. I never broke out the table! As soon as I had the banner up the lines formed! I spent the day doing crowd control by bantering and playing with the folks in the line (especially the ladies!).
At the end of the day, I was whipped! No voice (am I out of practice!), slightly dehydrated (I ended up giving away some of my water!), hungry, and happy. After I broke down, took a walk around the Wall just to check out the scene. 8 PM and still more people than I could count. I ran into a Balloon Busker I knew from the past. She was totally out of inventory and was, like me, whipped! She allowed as how she had the best day she’s had in over a year. That from a crowd that had very few kids! By the way, I rewarded the kid that kept coming back with a photo of him with Ms. Murphy! He and his parents were amongst the last in line at the end of the day (of course!). His mom had a disposable camera, so I made the kid sit in the trunk by the display and I snapped the photo. Man the kid had a grin that could have split his head in half. If he’s not hooked then I don’t know what it’ll take!
The artist formally known as Mumblepeas!
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Doug Higley 1942 - 2022 7152 Posts |
Ah...the true essence of the game...there is passing the hat and there is passing the 'torch'...both give a great feeling and go well together.
Glad you had fun and made a sheckle. Someday you're just gonna have to visit California. BTW: I'd like for you to put the reactions and 'give and take' with the crowd regarding the Mer in an email or a PM for me. That kind of success out of the trunk of a car is a bit startling, I'd love to have the details. Doug
Higley's Giant Flea Pocket Zibit
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