Allen's Taxidermy: April 2011

More than nice paint !

Allen Taxidermy Studio

13919 61st Lane N

WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33412

(561) 880-7986
Find us on Google Maps for 10% off Fish Mounts till Aug 30th !

Would you put a shiny new paint job on a rusted out wreck?
I seriously Doubt it. So why would you buy a fish replica that is just that?
I use a lot of the same blanks that others use. Most of them are left as is with a crappy paint job. A few have really great paint, but otherwise are fatally flawed
I talked about the importance of paint here. And a little about eye anatomy here.
But this is where the rubber meets the road, what separates the men from the boys.
So today we are doing body work!

These fish looks pretty good from afar

But there are some problems that really need to be addressed. The eye set is obvious as a fish's eyes are not on the top of its head. Less obvious, the pelvic fins point straight down at the ground. Live fish do not do this. The back edge of the fin is held against the body to improve hydrodynamics. This look is referred to in taxidermy circles as "the electrocuted fish". He certainly does look surprised, rather that the majestic predator that he is. There is one more thing that keeps these blanks from looking "real".

The Maxilla (upper jaw ) lacks any definition.

Here is a closeup of the maxilla on a real bass.

Here is our "improved" maxilla.

Re-positioned pelvic fins.

These improvements are very time consuming , and require a respirator to painstakingly grind by hand, but my name is attached to every mount that goes out the door. It is the least we can do to bring you an affordable catch and release trophy you can be proud of!

With out these basic improvements you may as well go to walmart and buy a "Bigmouth Billy Bass" He looks about as real, and at least he'll sing to you!

More Later as we wade through the repairs. Next up a horrific Crappie that no doubt you've seen on ebay with such terms attached as "Giant" or "Slab" .

Back to the water

Allen Taxidermy Studio

13919 61st Lane N

WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33412

(561) 880-7986
Find us on Google Maps for 10% off Fish Mounts till Aug 30th !

Back to fish taxidermy...

I'll be finishing Them up this upcoming week as time permits.

In addition to these 4 bass (2 skin 2 replica) I have a 10.5 lber, a 18" crappie, and an 10.75" bluegill to do.

A little 6 pt

Finished this one up for My friend Bill and his son...turned out nice for a raggedy cut up scrub buck. :)

Every deer is a Trophy...

Everyone likes to see that big rack, but sometimes it is more about the memory.
This little deer was killed by a friend who had taken his young son into the field with him.

This is their first buck together and will look great hanging on the young fella's wall in his bedroom. Forever preserving the memory of the the time spent together in a way that no photo or antler plaque could.

Big old buck

Here is a buck we are working on. I made the mistake of purchasing a "ready to mount " cape for an old set of antlers I had. More work and worse results that if I had just got a green cape and did it myself. Meat dried on like beef jerky is a little hard to work with, and both ears were pretty badly damaged.. ... I think that ultimately it will turn out pretty good...time will tell. The drying has begun.
Ron

Green Screen Photography

Getting ready to launch a website soon, and have been unhappy with backgrounds in my photography. The answer lies in Hollywood! Green Screen!
Here is some experiments with the big BG currently on ebay. Who would have thought that the same technology they used for special effects in Star Wars would work with fish photography?

I still have some bugs to work out but all in all I like where this is going!
Ron

Fishing Thurs...

Ahhh research and acquisition is such hard work...

Got a couple 5 lbers and a few small ones for dinner. Will be skin mounting the bigger ones. It'll be a great opportunity to teach Holly how to skin mount a fish.

More importantly got some good reference pics. Bass ARE NOT a Plain GREEN fish with a white belly! Lots of golds, metallic green/blue, flesh tones etc... when you get right down to it there aren't enough colors in the big box of crayola to get them all.

Pricelist

Allen Taxidermy Studio
2010 - 2011 Price List

Fish Trophies

Skin Mounts
Fresh Water

These are mounts made from your actual fish. Bring your trophy in frozen and you get your exact fish back
mounted. Superior paint and hand carved or cast bodies for the look you want. Only modern, durable techniques
will be used.
$13.00 / inch
$25.00 / inch Both sides. Pedestal or habitat extra.
Salt Water
On request
Redfish,Speckeled Sea Trout, Striper etc...All big game (Sailfish, Marlin, Wahoo etc) replica only.

Replicas

Good
The Steakhouse Fish Mount
Best Value!
Not some cheap-o half cast! Full 3D Good quality replicas that anyone can afford. Made for the budget
angler in mind. GREAT airbrushing put into these just like the best replicas we offer. Restaurants will
buy dozens of these for display purposes...hence the name!
$10.00 / inch
Wall Mount only. Limited Selection

BEST
Superior Replica Series
These are of the highest quality..Superior mouth detail, clear fins, perfect gills. Highest scale detail and
superior airbrush work. Great looking both sides...Suitable for 2 sided pedestal mounts.
We scour the countryside for independent artists who are the best at what they do. Lifelike
reproductions in every way.
These replicas are only for the discerning collector, who will settle for nothing but the best. These truly
are museum quality and priced accordingly.
$14.00 / inch Wall Mount only.
$25.00 / inch Both sides. Pedestal or habitat extra.

Mammal Trophies

Shoulder Mounts
Super high quality. Best forms money can buy.
Whitetail $425
Mule Deer $475
Elk $895
Boar $499
Others on request.
Open mouth add $100

Life Size Mounts Full body
Quote only. Price upon request

European Mounts Skulls
Cleaned and Whitened. No ODOR!
Whitetail $95
Small Boar $95
Large Boar 8” eye-nose+ $135
Small Game (raccoon, bobcat, squirrel, fox etc) $75
Alligator $10 / inch $100 minimum.

General Taxidermy
Antlers on panel $50 and up
Rugs Price upon request
Deer feet gun rack $170
Solid wood panel for shoulder $75
Fiber core panel for shoulder $50
Other Panels, pedestals and Habitat Price upon request.

Allen Taxidermy Studio‎

13919 61st Lane N

WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33412

(561) 880-7986
Find us on Google Maps for 10% off Fish Mounts till Apr 30th !

Big Bluegill

15" Bluegill Replica...Destined for Ebay. Click the link to see what I have available.
Blanks this size are hard to come by...doing the best we can with whats available.