Another look-alike

Another image found on the internet sent for my Look-alikes page.

Thanks to follower Edna Basket Brown for sending this in. 

Evidence of my growing fame?

I have more thanks to send to two blog followers who have sent me images from the internet and strangely both relating to flying Bosci's. An old post on this blog (find it via the 'Older posts' button at the bottom of the page) tells about my making of my own range of rubber toys. It seems that my fame has reached far enough that I am blessed with the dubious honour of having someone make bootleg (unofficial) copies of my product! Almo Prendagast from Arkansas USA sent me these images found on E-Bay of a crude hard plastic version of a flying Bosci. 

Secondly here is a smashing old polaroid for my 'Lookalikes' page, found on Pinterest and sent by Walter from Skjolden in Norway.

Thanks for these and here's a reminder of my Flying Bosci toys in their packages, available for purchase via this blog.

Objects from the Cuming Museum, London

I must post a big thankyou to someone who has sent me a gift. Apparently Mr. Roland Pangborn from Nichols Canyon Rd. California is a regular follower of my blog and he has kindly sent me a postcard he came across in a yard sale recently. Mr. Pangborn is a postcard collector but managed to relinquish this one and send it to me. I have a section here on my blog (one of the 'other pages') of look-alikes. Several of these are images followers have found and passed on to me. This one will be joining them. 
This postcard shows two interesting archeological artifacts called 'Billy and Charley's'. One seems to be a representation of me although these lead sculptures were from a long time back. 

My investigation has revealed that William (Billy) Smith and Charles (Charley) Eaton were two nineteenth century forgers who made fake 'mediaeval' leaden figures and medallions that they then 'found' in the Thames. These two are in the collection of the Cuming Museum in South London.

Guatemalan Flying Frog...a chance to see my specimens

Heres news of an imminent opportunity to meet me and more importantly see 'in the flesh' the amazing collection of interesting animal and ghost specimens that have come into my possession and which I have been restoring.
On the weekend of March 19 and 20, 2016 I shall be making available for viewing these remarkable items as part of the Telegraph Hill Open Studios in South London UK. I currently live in the house of artist Brian McKenzie and he is taking part in this annually occuring event. Here is a link with info about the event including map and address....

http://telegraphhillfestival.org.uk/open-studio-2016/

Moving on now....
In my last post I mentioned the frog specimen. Here is the jar as it was when I took possession; incredibly murky but definitely containing an intriguing looking something!

I decided to research and then tackle the restoration of the specimen. I carefully removed the wax sealing material and forced off the long-sealed glass stopper lid. Inside was old preserving alchohol which smelt ghastly and tasted foul. I poured this away to reveal the remarkable critter within. It was quite robust and I was able to handle and gently clean it without causing any major damage.

The creature does, as described on the label, appear to be a frog with wings.

Its eyes are on stalks like a snail.

I refilled the original jar with pure preserving achohol and gently replaced the little being into the jar as quickly as possible to avoid any untoward dissintergation. Here it is now viewable in its full nature. Please come to visit next weekend and see this and the other extraordinary specimens I will make available for display.

Antique specimens

A blog reader recently contacted me offering a fantastic gift/donation which I gratefully accepted. Tyrone from Basingstoke, Hampshire was clearing the attic of his great Grandfathers house and came across a collection of old Victorian anatomical specimens. Tyrone knew of my interest in such things and I have just taken possesion of some twenty five of them. I am currently cataloguing and cleaning them as several are in a very poor state. I wanted to show some of them on my blog.

 Most jars are numbered and labelled, stating the contents. These images here are of some particuallarly fascinating ones desribed as 'specimen ghosts' of varying sorts. They do indeed seem to be solid manifest entities with solid (white) flesh, if thats the right term, and some even seem to have an internal anatomical structure visible within. The ghosts are generally of small animals or insects. and seem relatively well preserved in their alchohol solutions.

 l'm currently researching how to clean, conserve and re-seal several jars which definitely have something within but which are so murky and clouded that its impossible to see the contents properly. One, No. 278 is labelled 'flying frog from Guatemala', others as 'unknown creature'