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MAXILLA
&MANDIBLE, LTD
451 COLUMBUS AVENUE, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10024
Ph: (212) 724-6173 Fax: (212) 721-1073
April
2, 2001
Re:
Whale skeleton
Dear
Mr. Jamieson,
Thank
you for allowing me to examine for appraisal, the humpback
whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) skeleton housed at the Niagara
Falls Museum.
I have
provided below a brief resume of my experience and qualifications
pertinent to this review.
For
12 years I was employed by the American Museum of Natural
History in New York, in the Department of Vertebrate Paleontology.
During my tenure at the Museum, I did field collecting,
laboratory preparations and authored several paleontological
research papers. Today I am the proprietor of one of the
best-known natural history retail and wholesale establishments,
Maxilla & Mandible, Ltd.. During my 18 years in business,
I have provided general consulting services and estate appraisals
for insurance companies and donations to non-profit organizations.
I am a consultant and appraiser to Sotheby's, Phillips,
and Butterfield's auction houses. I was the Paleontological
Consultant in charge of Sotheby's auction for the Tyrannosaurus
skeleton known as "Sue". My professional affiliations
include sustaining Member of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
and Honorary Member of the New York Paleontological Society.
I am on the Board of Directors for "The Peoples' Museurn"
in New York.
Here
are my comments regarding your specimen:
The specimen qualifies as a bonefide antique of historical
importance, and may be the oldest known large whale skeleton
still on exhibit in North America. This colossal specimen
is both scientifically important and historically noteworthy
for reasons I will explain below. In addition, it also has
the distinction of having been studied and published by
the world famous American paleontologist, Dr. Edward Drinker
Cope and of having been exhibit at the Niagara Falls Museum,
one of North Americas' oldest museums.
The
specimens' scientific importance lies in its status as the
holotype specimen of the species Megaptera osphyia, which
was established by Cope in 1885. Cope believed that this
specimen represented a distinct species of humpback whale.
Since Cope's time, biologists have determined that only
one species of humpback whale exists today, and its proper
taxonomic name is Meguptera novaeangliae. Thus, Cope's Megupteru
"osphyia" under the rules in the International
Code of Zoological Nomenclature, has been declared invalid
and has fallen into synonymy under the senior name Megaptera
novaeangliue. Briefly, "taxonomy" is the scientific
study of identifying species under their proper proposed
name. It is common in this complex study for changes to
occur. Often old names are resurrected and new ones deemed
invalid. It is critical for every species named that a specimen
be designated as the bearer of its scientific name in order
to aid future research. Therefore, Copes' holotype specimen,
status notwithstanding, is a scientifically valued item
which, should be preserved and housed in an institution
which will allow researchers access to it. More detail information
on Cope's humpback whale skeleton is published by the Smithsonian
Institute in a treatise written by Dr. Frederick W. True,
1904, titled "The Whalebone Whales of the Western North
Atlantic".
According
to published records, Dr. F.D. Thurman of Atlanta, originally
sold this magnificent specimen to P.T. Barnum in 1871, but
due to a fire that destroyed his museum in New York he was
unable to take delivery. It was then resold to Thomas Barnett
of the Niagara Falls Museum in 1873. There, the skeleton
was on exhibit for 100 years and impressed millions of visitors
to the Falls including many famous people.
The
key value in this specimen lies in the quality of its state
of preservation, which cannot be easily duplicated today.
Most museum skeleton mounts of this size and quality were
done during the whaling period, when rendering facilities
existed and fresh specimens were available. Thus, the value
of this specimen can only be judged against its replacement
in today's labor market and not by past sales of similar
items, which in any case do not exist - at least not in
the last 25 years since laws were enacted to protect endangered
wildlife. The legal status of this specimen adds greatly
to its value since it can be sold on the open international
market because of its antique status. This salability factor
is also considered in the judged potential market value
below.
To
appreciate the costs involved, one must briefly consider
the challenge in undertaking such a Herculean task. Let's
say for example, that a recently beached dead whale has
been located. A humpback whale may reach 13 meters and weigh
as much as 30,000 kilos. A carcass of this size would have
to be quickly loaded by a crane onto a flat bed truck and
transported to a dumpsite without passing a populated area.
There it would be skinned, gutted, fleshed and dismembered
into manageable sections by a crew of hardy workers, which
may take several days depending on weather conditions. The
"roughed out" sections would then be bought to
a rendering facility for further flesh removal, either by
boiling or maceration, a process which would take several
months to a year. Such a facility would have be fully equipped
with custom made iron tubs, a good exhaust system, and many
other necessary tools and materials. The cleaned skeleton
would then have to be bleached with hydrogen peroxide and
finished with a protective wax coating. Assuming that the
specimen were to be exhibited, a custom made iron frame
would have to be designed to be mounted free-standing or
three-dimensionally. Not only would the stand have to support
the immense weight of the skeleton for safe display, but
it would also have to be done in a manner that would not
detract from the skeleton and is aesthetically pleasing.
This last step would be somewhat of a challenge, especially
if the skeleton were to be suspended from a ceiling. Finally,
an experienced individual would have to be hired to oversee
this project from beginning to end. Such a person would
have to be a problem solver, and capable of withstanding
sickening stenches.
Considering
the historical and scientific value together with the replacement
costs described above, (i.e. salary based on man hours,
rental of facihty, materials needed, insurance and transportation,
etc.), one can easily state an appraisal value of USD 500,000
to 550,000.. This aforementioned amount would be the likely
market value, which however, does not fully represent the
value of the skeleton. To this replacement costs must be
added a potential "public exhibition draw value"
which when spread over a ten year period could easily reach
a seven digit figure, depending on the vistor traffic.
If
I can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact
me.
Sincerely,
Henry
Galiano
President
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