Bearskin or wolfskin?

[maius]

Does anyone know of dealer in the US that sells bearskins and wolfskins for a signifer, vexillarius and cornucen impression?

Also which would one would be worn by the signifer and which one worn by the vexillarius and cornucen or does it matter?

Thanks in advance.

Maius/Bill

[Marcus Julius]

Check with a local taxidermists. Unfortunately, most animals are usually kept by the hunter as a trophy, but occasionally they might have the chance to simply purchase them from hunters who already have thier trophy. They will usually do statues or rugs of them for retail sale. I have an uncle who hunts bear every chance he gets. He has sold a half dozen or so bear to the taxidermist, only keeping the best for himself. For an avid hunter like that, there are only so many places to lay/hang the bear rugs in one house.

Since the season is getting started, you might want to let your local shops know that you're in the market for one. If I'm not mistaken, you'll want it done with only the skull, but no lower jaw. And you'll have to let them know ahead of time, so they don't do the usual full head. When doing rugs, they also usually attach felt to the inside of the hide, which you may not want.

[M. Demetrius]

Google "bearskin" and you should be able to find a number of taxidermists/fur dealers. There are some in Idaho, just over the hills from you. I don't think I can advertise any names on this forum, though, can I?

[Caius Fabius]

Moscow hide and fur has both, but I have yet to see any imperial Romans on statuary, or monuments wearing wolf skins. Republican Veletes perhaps, but Imperial standard bearers and musicians seem to wear mostly bearskins, with Praetorians wearing lion skins, and some occasional big cats being possibly worn in other units. There is a RAT thread on this somewhere. Sure it's easier to get a coyote or wolf skin, and some well established units still do it, but is it historically accurate?
[url:1ujd1hq9]http://www.hideandfur.com/[/url]

[Peroni]

If you go for a bear pelt, make sure it isn't a native American species! The Romans didn't have access to them! :wink:

[FAVENTIANVS]

www.niximperial.com

[Aedinius]

I have a supplier from Alaska who is a Inuet that I can get some really nice skins. When I save the money I plan to get a couple.

[jonwr]

I recommend the same people as Charles. But keep in mind good quality hides are by no means inexpensive.
Jon R

[Tiberius]

www.leatherunltd.com

[Marcus Julius]

If you go for a bear pelt, make sure it isn't a native American species! The Romans didn't have access to them! :wink:

But wouldn't a Roman have used pelts from whatever area they were in at the time?

[M. Demetrius]

If you go for a bear pelt, make sure it isn't a native American species! The Romans didn't have access to them!

Nor access to American Ash spear shafts, or American Beef Cattle leather, nor...

[Aetius Helvius Merula]

Yep, the place in Idaho. Next time I visit my mom I'll hop over there; she lives nearby.

From the gravestones I've seen, the animal whose pelt graces the signifer or vexellarius looks like a bear to me. The only concrete evidence I know of for wolfskin comes from Polybuis' description of the velites. But my knowledge is'nt all that extensive thus far

[Peroni]

Peroni wrote:
If you go for a bear pelt, make sure it isn't a native American species! The Romans didn't have access to them!

Brian Wrote..
But wouldn't a Roman have used pelts from whatever area they were in at the time?

Yes Brian, but I can't think of one shred of evidence to suggest that the Romans ever made it to North America!

.... Stick to European species (brown bear) if at all possible! :wink:

[M. Demetrius]

Stick to European species (brown bear) if at all possible!

Do we know that the same species of bears that exists today are the ones that the Romans used? Or could it be that the species they used is extinct or an endangered and protected species? Is there any evidence to prove it either way?

Agreed, the Romans never made it to North America and black bears are native only to North America. And they never used any of the tree species that are native here, either, for spear shafts, or pommels, or the species of native sheep/goat for leather and wool, and as far as we know, the breeds of sheep they wove wool from are uncommon or nonexistant today, the iron that becomes pilum shafts is partly mined in the US, the blades for gladii come from Asia, so what's a fellow to do?

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/ ... bears.html check the map link, and you'll find that the bears that exist in the Alps are separated by a large area where they are not found in central Europe. Did they use the southern, or the Balkan, or the Spanish, or the Norwegian bearskin? How would we know? Would just any bearskin (except the gigantic Kodiak, of course) of a brown species be ok?

I hope I'm not seeming merely to be a disagreeable Yank, but it doesn't make sense to me somehow, that we should import a bearskin from Europe, of any species (and there are several brown bear species). The freight and customs delay would make the bearskin be much more than the price of the rest of the kit, I'd reckon. Not that price is the only consideration, but why make a fuss over that?

Glad I'm not a signifer.

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

It's a shame no one considers "fake fur" or can't find an acceptable reproduction. It bothers me that we would support killing an animal so we can wear it on our heads. :oops: Same for horse tails. Some of these vendors are not guys I would support. Didn't we recently have a thread devoted to this which showed non-fur wearing was just as accurate?