FEATURES: LONGHAIR – NAPOLEON THE GREAT
SHORTHAIR – QUEEN JUMBO THE ART OF – NEEDLEPOINT BREED – THE CHARTREUX PURRSONALITY – MRS. L. HERRING NOVEMBER 2020 Volume 1 No. 5
and much more! “Pawis is Purrfect”
INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE FOR CAT LOVERS - LINECHASERS - & FANCIERS OF FELINE HISTORY
“Today’s achievements are part of tomorrow’s history”
FELIS HISTORICA HARRISON WEIR COLLECTION © A-Cat-Emy Concepts
PUBLISHED BY A-CAT-EMY CONCEPTS for THE HARRISON WEIR COLLECTION
NOVEMBER 2020 VOLUME 1 NUMBER 5
EDITOR
John G. Smithson editor@felishistorica.com HISTORY PARTNERS The CFA Foundation COLUMNISTS & CONTRIBUTORS
Karen Lawrence (St. Catharines, Canada)
Lorraine Shelton (California, USA)
5
Dr. Leslie Lyons (Missouri, USA)
5
Laura Dilley Thomas (Virginia, USA)
Laura Vocelle (Muscat, Oman)
Dr. Keith Hammett (QSM) (Auckland, NZ)
Valerie Sheldrake Feline Historian (Suffolk, UK)
Jamie Christian (Ohio, USA)
PHOTOGRAPHY & GRAPHICS
Helmi & Ken Flick (Florida, USA)
5
Jack Terry (Florida, USA)
CONTENT All Rights Reserved © A-Cat-Emy Concepts SUBSCRIPTIONS Published Monthly Single Issue $4.00 USD ANNUALLY $48.00 USD
EDITORIAL The Editor outlines issues covered in Issue 5 of Felis Historica!
6
CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBERS Gallery of our Team of Columnists, Contributors & Correspondents
8
IN THIS ISSUE!
THE ART OF CAT NEEDLEPOINT- by CFA Judge Vicki Nye A unique journey into the Needlepoint Art of Five CFA Judges
12
‘NAPOLEON THE GREAT’ (Red Angora/Persian) Born c.1888 in France. Our Longhaired Cat History Feature – by John Smithson
28
THE CAT IN ADVERTISING - by CFA Judge Karen Lawrence A glimpse into the use of the Cat in early period product marketing.
36
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GENETICS YOU CAN LEARN FROM YOUR CAT! PART 5 - by Dr. Leslie Lyons Variations on a theme and Fifty Shades of Grey Variable Expression and Genetic Heterogeneity
44
THE BOOK SHOPPE – by Ms Rosabella Purrnett Book Reviews and Promotions on ‘Cat-Related’ Publications
50
THE CHARTTREUX – ‘Breed Feature’ - by Orca Starbuck The unique and historic Blue Shorthair Cat of France
54
‘QUEEN JUMBO’ (Silver Abyssinian) Born c.1890. The story of the First Registered Abyssinian - by John Smithson CELEBRATING MODERN CATS – IN OUR FEATURED HISTORICAL BREEDS Longhair Breed Type – Red Persian FIFe NW, NSW, GIC WHITE ‘R’ US IZON JUNIOR JW DSM Shorthair Breed Type – Blue Abyssinian CFA GC, BW, NW ZEHNDER’S BBC LATE NIGHT MRS. LOUISA HERRING - by John Smithson Iconic early breeder, exporter, & stalwart of The National Cat Club, (UK) Owner of the ‘Lee’ Cattery, and eclectic lover of many breeds.
78
92 94 96
Editorial ’FELIS HISTORICA’ Welcome to the fifth edition of Felis Historica!
JOHN G. SMITHSON EDITOR
It is hard to believe that next month we will be issuing our very first Christmas edition, which will be a spectacular issue for both content and visual dynamism! It will also follow on from the great old English tradition of periodicals, who would usually add a Christmas supplement full of seasonal yuletide illustrations. Every month we try to add new features and make improvements on our presentation and to date, the responses have been most encouraging. Our lead article this month is an intriguing piece by Vicki Nye, who reveals details and images behind a group of five CFA cat judges who share a common bond and passion for Cats and Needlepoint! A big thank you to them all for allowing their creations to be celebrated in this issue! Our cover is both French and Cat themed and is the work of one of these ladies – thank you Donna Fuller for allowing us to show your version of ‘Pawis is Purrfect’.
OUR COVER ‘PAWIS IS PURRFECT’ An example of Needlepoint craftwork By Donna Fuller
COPYRIGHT © A-CAT-EMY CONCEPTS / FELIS HISTORICA THE HARRISON WEIR COLLECTION No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent. No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of advertisements or information. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED www.felis-historica.com www.harrisonweir.com
Karen Lawrence then examines the advantages of using the everpopular cat in marketing. Her late 19th and early 20th century images of advertisements effectively demonstrate that use and its progression. Dr. Leslie Lyons regales us with another of her fine genetics articles, this time on ‘blue dilution’, reminding us that there are literally 50 shades of grey and that they are all the result of variable expression. Our feature breed on this occasion is the unique and historic blue shorthair cat of France, known to us as the Chartreux. Orca Starbuck take us on an amazing journey through the many challenges faced by this breed in its various and historic phases of development and its ultimate success to be recognised as a stand-alone separate breed with its own long history and an easily recognised independent phenotype. Thank you Orca for this informative article. Continuing our ‘French’ based theme, the Longhair cat featured in our feline history segment, is the red male ‘Napoleon the Great’, born in France in the late 1880’s and exported to the United States, where his enviable show career and his progeny left their mark on the world of the Persian cat in early American cat fancy. Our Library segment features two originally French publications about cats, the first is Jean Simmonet’s seminal work, ‘Le Chat des Chartreux’ which is an incredibly diverse and well-researched book that delves into
November 2020 all aspects of both the colour and origins behind the Chartreux cat and the efforts of the Léger sisters on their property at Belle-Île. Translated into English by ZZ Auerbach in 1990, this book is highly recommended as a must-read for those who are deeply into knowing their breed’s history! The second book, ‘Les Amis des Chats’ (Our Friends the Cats) by Marcel Reney, was published in 1947 and although in French, contains as worthy selection of incredibly enlightening historic images of cats in a variety of breeds. Our Shorthair historic cat this month is the silver Abyssinian female ‘Queen Jumbo’ who is in fact the earliest Abyssinian registered with the National Cat Club, and who was owned by Mrs. Louisa Herring, who is herself the subject of our ‘Purrsonality’ feature article, towards the end of this month’s issue. Readers will note that we have included two cartoons by Graham Harrop this time round, as both speak eloquently to our French theme throughout. We also celebrate two modern day cats that closely mirror their historic counterparts featured in this month’s magazine, a Persian from Portugal and an Abyssinian from Michigan in the USA. Last but certainly not least, Felis Historica is proud to be sponsoring one of the Top Cat Challenge Virtual Shows, on this occasion it is Egypt’s Pharaonic Cat Club and all nine judges will be tasked to select one exhibit each as their Judge’s Choice winner from all sections of the show. The winners will receive notification of a prize via email and we will publish details of the winners in our December issue! By the time you read this, Halloween will have been and gone and Thanksgiving will be on everyone’s mind. Our December edition will be a bumper Christmas themed affair, and should not be missed! In the spirit of generosity that comes with the season of joy, perhaps consider gifting a subscription to ‘Felis Historica’ to a deserving catloving friend!
BRONZE MEDAL BY GALLO, PARIS, 1929 in The Harrison Weir Collection
Enjoy!
John EDITOR
http://www.chartreuxbc.org