What is the difference between Fish Models and Trophy Carvings?

It’s fair to say that defining the term fish model is a case of semantics and personal taste. “Fish model” and “trophy carving” have both historically been used to describe trophy carvings. A trophy carving is a model of an actual fish, but trophy carvings do not typically represent a customer’s interest in a representational, or what is often referred to as a decorative carving. Also, trophy carvings are scaled 1:1 while fish models may be scaled smaller or larger than a fish’s actual size. With respect to the two different customers, genres and history, it seems more appropriate to describe decorative fish carvings as fish models, and trophy carvings to commemorate memorable angling experiences. Otherwise there is essentially no difference how either can be displayed, their level of detail or anatomical accuracy.

FISH MODELS

The evolution of contemporary American fish models could be viewed as a progression of influences that loosely includes the oldest known fish carving genre — Native North American fish decoys created to attract and spear fish through holes cut in ice (predating 1,000 A.D.). Nineteenth and early twentieth century European Americans adopted the Native American fishing culture as sport and created their own highly stylized fish decoys. Like hunting decoys, the art of fish decoys eventually surpassed their modest utilitarian requirements, however anatomical accuracy did not attain the same level as the stylized form.

Of significantly greater influence and import, mid-to-late twentieth century taxidermists adopting fish carving as an alternative to mounted trophies, spun off fish models as a creative outlet and separate product for non-trophy customers. Their carvings raised the level of anatomical accuracy from the primitive shapes and stylized folk-art of decoys to realistic fish models.

And as an off-shoot of decoy and taxidermy competitions, the rise and development of fish carving competitions over the last 25 years has significantly contributed to contemporary fish model display and anatomical standards. Influenced by taxidermy, competitive carving and early visionaries, much of the contemporary fish model genre could be described as nature inspired realism, incorporating creative and often elaborately carved interpretive habitat displays.

TROPHY CARVINGS

To commemorate memorable angling experiences, a few nineteenth century Scottish and British artists (notably Scots John Russell, his daughter Dhuie, son-in-law John Tully, and P.D. Malloch), pioneered the trophy carving genre as a highly rendered and permanent alternative to taxidermy.

What could be described as the English style trophy carving, a half to two-thirds body displayed on a wood board with hand lettered legend, has set the trophy carving standard for over 100 years and is experiencing a renaissance among a few contemporary North American and European fish carvers. Unlike taxidermy and its short life, often discarded after a generation, heirloom quality trophy carvings are highly collectable, and on the rare occasion that examples from the early masters become available, auction for tens of thousands of dollars. While historically the English style artists relied more on painting technique (trompe l'oeil) and less on carving detail to achieve anatomical accuracy, the style’s constraints are limiting only to an individual carver’s interpretation.

Alternatively, American style trophy carving is more recent and generally attributed to mid-to-late twentieth century taxidermists transitioning to fish carving from specimen mounts. The American style has two evolving forms that display fish in full body - a free form style pioneered by a few carvers (notably Bob Berry) that is comparable to decorative fish models with interpretive habitat display possibilities for horizontal or vertical surfaces, and traditionally styled wall mounted taxidermy that may be partially finished on the body’s back side including the use of one pectoral fin and eye. The two forms offer seemingly limitless display possibilities.

Apart from being a way to commemorate memorable angling experiences and a collectable art form, trophy carving’s most obvious benefit is conservation - they help promote catch and release angling, and mitigate removing the largest and most spectacular “trophy” fish and their genetics from native wild fisheries. It is particularly relevant when one considers that leading conservation advocacy groups currently estimate 60% of the worlds fisheries and 80% of the world’s large fish are unsustainably over-fished.