OMG....what type of indiividual would want to wear this back then

[MWmadgill]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BEAUTIFUL-GENUINE-MONKEY-FUR-COAT-1930s-/170674363806?pt=Vintage_Women_s_Clothing&hash=item27bcfc1d9e


Oh dear,  I wonder who wore this and why.     

[Elly]

I usually love vintage clothes, but that's vile 

reminds me of the horrible jacket made from colubus monkey that Pete burns wore when he was on celeb big brother

[MWmadgill]

Dreadful thing, they're also selling a matching bag wold you believe Elly.

[Joan]

Yes sickening stuff, but in those days and up to fairly recently people thought nothing of wearing real leopardskin coats and gorillas were killed to make ashtrays of their hands. 

Weird thing about Pete Burns is he was boasting that it was made of gorilla fur!   

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4603032.stm

[MWmadgill]

It's a shame they didn't lock him up and throw away the key.    Sick in the head in my opinion.

[LornaMcA]

Disgusting!  At Marwell they have on display some items that have been confiscated by customs.  The most disturbing for me was a zebra leg lamp.  Why?  They also have bags, skins, shoes, etc made out of various animals.

[Joan]

Yes beggars belief, they used to make umbrella stands and stools out of elephant legs.

The worst artifact for me though is the bookend made out of a real baby chimpanzee head at Howletts, who like Marwell have a Hall of Shame confiscated from HM Customs and Excise.

[mazfc]

Twycross had an education tent out this week, and they were doing some super activities with kids. Looking at gorilla conservation in particular.

They also had confiscated items displayed - one of which was the skin of a colobus monkey.

[Joan]

Excellent, it's so important to educate people about conservation.  Colobus monkeys have stunning fur, Howletts have a fabulous group and Apollo the alpha male at Colchester is awesome.

[MWmadgill]

Yes beggars belief, they used to make umbrella stands and stools out of elephant legs.

The worst artifact for me though is the bookend made out of a real baby chimpanzee head at Howletts, who like Marwell have a Hall of Shame confiscated from HM Customs and Excise.

Oh crikey Joan, thanks for that as I'm hoping to visit Howletts before the end of the year.  Dreadful 

[Elly]

Disgusting!  At Marwell they have on display some items that have been confiscated by customs.  The most disturbing for me was a zebra leg lamp.  Why?  They also have bags, skins, shoes, etc made out of various animals.

They have a similar display at Blackpool zoo. The keeper who was manning the display told me they have a huge collection of these things, which the items on display were just a small part of.
I was shocked by how recently the items were made as I'd assumed they were all really old, but she pointed out an elephant's foot umbrella stand which was mounted on modern mdf. What a sad and undignified end to a magnificent creature

[MWmadgill]

What's Blackpool Zoo like Elly ? - never been.

[Elly]

What's Blackpool Zoo like Elly ? - never been.

It's a fairly small zoo but well worth a visit Gill.

There's a group of 4 orangs, and a small group of Gorillas.

They also have a fantastic exhibit called amazonia, this is an enclosed walk-thru with small south american monkeys & other animals - although most don't come anywhere near the walkways! the squirrel monkeys do however, and it's lovely to see them close up.

some pics https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1733982568943.68134.1819932226&l=1c38eb5309&type=1

[Joan]

Lovely photos Elly, very impressive silverback.

[MWmadgill]

Thanks Elly.  He is a GORGEOUS Silver Back !