Stolen Stuffed Bird Collection?

[Charlie_Thompson]

Has anyone heard about the theft of a collection of rare stuffed birds from a museum in the UK. There was a piece on the radio about it and one of the possible motives mentioned was the use of the feathers in fly tying? A very valuable collection apparently. I suppose if a lot of previously hard to get feathers come onto the market people should be questioning their provenance?

[kcon1]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ry-Museum.html

I doubt they're being used for flies though.

[Charlie_Thompson]

Originally Posted by kcon1

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ry-Museum.html

I doubt they're being used for flies though.

I agree. The other potential use mentioned was "Ceremonial Gowns".

[RPS]

There are a lot of misconceptions around feathers for classic salmon flies, the majority are easy to obtain because most birds are no longer in danger. Irrespective of whether individual feathers are legal or not, even the likes of Toucan for Jock Scott's can be obtained quite easily ... if you are prepared to pay.

The only feathers that I know people have trouble obtaining (fortunately) are Golden Eagle, primary for built wing, breast for Eagle series.

[arkle]

RPS, there are many other feathers that are at least as challenging to get hold of for tyer's of these flies. The first 2 that come to mind are resplendent quetzal, Guyana'n cock of the rock.

[doonicus]

Just looked at the link Charlie, and funnily enough there were stuffed birds for sale on ebay.
The advert went something like this: Stuffed birds from a broken display case, ideal for fly tying. Wonder if these are the very birds that were stolen from the museum?
Very suspicious methinks.

Sam

[sweenytodd]

Originally Posted by RPS

There are a lot of misconceptions around feathers for classic salmon flies, the majority are easy to obtain because most birds are no longer in danger. Irrespective of whether individual feathers are legal or not, even the likes of Toucan for Jock Scott's can be obtained quite easily ... if you are prepared to pay.

The only feathers that I know people have trouble obtaining (fortunately) are Golden Eagle, primary for built wing, breast for Eagle series.

Be a bit tough to get hold of some from this one though

Unless you know of a breeder of them ???

[maharg]

Richard Walker had a pattern in one of his books called the Conservation Special.
I contained all manner of rare and exotic materials,such as hair from a clouded leopard etc.

[Texxa]

I love stuffed things and apparently its all the rage again.

There is not enough taxidermists practicing and so there is a new wave of, mainly female, entrants straight out of art school. Been quite a bit in the press last year.

I would be very very surprised if the birds went anywhere other than a private collection.

Still fighting with the wife to allow me a stuffed badger in our sitting room

[Charlie_Thompson]

Still fighting with the wife to allow me a stuffed badger in our sitting room

Get a real one, let it loose indoors then stand really still for about 6 days, the good lady will have gone daft by then and WILL have killed the badger! Move to phase 2 - re: stuffed badger in front room.

Logic alert - while you're standing still, the badger and the wife (film rights reserved) will have hit it off, giggling and watching nature programmes about hewmans and that. You WILL be killed and quite possibly taxidermed.

Bit out of it