This company is perhaps the finest exponent of taxidermist fish certainly in Europe. They pioneered the use of materials and techniques that in the main are still in use today, if you wish to have a fish prepared and not just a cast replica.
The company is appears was founded in 1830 by John Cooper and was in continuous trading for over 120 years. The style may have changed but the quality was also of the highest order. The trade labels so often found in the cases state that the principle premises were Radnor Street, London and then Bath Road Hounslow after the World War.
The cases that are more sought after these days are nearly always bowed in nature. 2mm float glass was employed to shown the specimen off in the best possible way and to also give a greater impression of water in the case. Whilst other firms created fish taxidermy, Coopers were by far the most proficient at it. Other who undertook fish taxidermy, were Rowland Ward, Peter Spicer, WF Homer, FW Anstiss,
Williams of Dublin, Saunders, W Barnes and of course Griggs. Typically British Course fish and game fish were mounted to meet that specialist niche requirement and fish most commonly found are Pike, Trout, Bream, Tench, Roach, Rudd and Perch. Rarer fish such as Arctic Char, Bleak and Salmon were produced but these it appears were not the norm.
Cooper produced fish on an industrial scale and given the company's tenure it is hardly surprising to find that many many examples of the cased fish have survived the 100 plus years. That said and perhaps given the prices that these cases fetch, it has tended to create a market for Cooper fakes. Merely transplanting a trade label into a lesser case or in some cases a complete re-creation / fake. Our suggestion is buy with caution and buy from reputable dealer / taxidermist like Barry Williams, who specializes in fish taxidermy and is well versed in the work of John Cooper & Sons.
John Cooper & Sons also produced cased birds and mammals. Whilst it could be argued that these are rare, they did not specialize in such items and as a consequence the quality is not the same as those companies that produced taxidermy birds and mammals as their primary line of business. No different to James Gardner producing fish and expecting them to be of the same quality is John Cooper.
One reason for fish cases standing the test of time is that they suffer less from insect attack as cased birds and mammals do. Wood worm and museum beetle can affect the cases in a similar way to antique furniture. Cases can be restored but it is recommended that you do not destroy the glass in the restoration process as this is the most expensive part of the case to replace and it will detract from it originality especially if the front glass contained writing with gold leaf denoting the specie, date and place of capture.
www.Taxidermy4cash.com for more images of specific fish cases
For more information click here
The company is appears was founded in 1830 by John Cooper and was in continuous trading for over 120 years. The style may have changed but the quality was also of the highest order. The trade labels so often found in the cases state that the principle premises were Radnor Street, London and then Bath Road Hounslow after the World War.
The cases that are more sought after these days are nearly always bowed in nature. 2mm float glass was employed to shown the specimen off in the best possible way and to also give a greater impression of water in the case. Whilst other firms created fish taxidermy, Coopers were by far the most proficient at it. Other who undertook fish taxidermy, were Rowland Ward, Peter Spicer, WF Homer, FW Anstiss,
Williams of Dublin, Saunders, W Barnes and of course Griggs. Typically British Course fish and game fish were mounted to meet that specialist niche requirement and fish most commonly found are Pike, Trout, Bream, Tench, Roach, Rudd and Perch. Rarer fish such as Arctic Char, Bleak and Salmon were produced but these it appears were not the norm.
Cooper produced fish on an industrial scale and given the company's tenure it is hardly surprising to find that many many examples of the cased fish have survived the 100 plus years. That said and perhaps given the prices that these cases fetch, it has tended to create a market for Cooper fakes. Merely transplanting a trade label into a lesser case or in some cases a complete re-creation / fake. Our suggestion is buy with caution and buy from reputable dealer / taxidermist like Barry Williams, who specializes in fish taxidermy and is well versed in the work of John Cooper & Sons.
John Cooper & Sons also produced cased birds and mammals. Whilst it could be argued that these are rare, they did not specialize in such items and as a consequence the quality is not the same as those companies that produced taxidermy birds and mammals as their primary line of business. No different to James Gardner producing fish and expecting them to be of the same quality is John Cooper.
One reason for fish cases standing the test of time is that they suffer less from insect attack as cased birds and mammals do. Wood worm and museum beetle can affect the cases in a similar way to antique furniture. Cases can be restored but it is recommended that you do not destroy the glass in the restoration process as this is the most expensive part of the case to replace and it will detract from it originality especially if the front glass contained writing with gold leaf denoting the specie, date and place of capture.
www.Taxidermy4cash.com for more images of specific fish cases
For more information click here
0 comments:
Post a Comment