Silver Medal, won by CH Buffola, 1924

This silver medal, awarded to CH Buffola of Silverleigh at the 1924 Crystal Palace Show in London, England. It was donated to the Feline Historical Museum in 2009 by former CFA President Richard H. Gebhardt. The medal comes in its original box from RB Bennett, Oxford. It was accompanied by a handwritten note from Mr. Gebhardt that reads,

"Silver Medal, 1924. Awarded at the Crystal Palace for the National Cat Show. Won by Blanche Bracey, Silverleigh Cattery, Silver tabbies LH & SH, Chinchilla & Blue Chinchilla. Given to Richard Gebhardt on a personal visit to Blanche Bracey. Medal in its original box, RB Bennett, Oxford, England². "

The Formation of Cat Clubs

Long before any permanent Cat Registry or Governing Body existed, there were Clubs. Before Clubs, there were just Cat Show organizing committees, with private sponsors, who donated their time and money and/or prizes, or awards. A leading example of this, is the Crystal Palace Show of 1875, among the Patrons of which were Mr. Charles Darwin and Lady Dorothy Nevill.

The idea of forming a National Club was first informally discussed at in impromptu assemblage of ladies and gentlemen on the second day of a four day Cat Show, at the Alexandra Palace, on June 15th, 1887. This was followed by a formal General Meeting at the Crystal Palace on 18th October, 1887, when the National Cat Club (N.C.C.) was duly instituted, with Mr. Harrison Weir as its first President, and Miss Gresham as its first Secretary. In the words of a later Chairman, Cyril Yeates, "the Cat Fancy, as we know it today, may be said to date from that year." Upon the resignation of Mr. Weir and Miss Gresham in 1890, they were duly succeeded by Mr. Louis Wain and Mr. J.W. Townsend.

The Beresford Cat Club was one of the earliest cat clubs formed in North America. While the club was based in Chicago, it had members from all over the United States. Beresford was affiliated with the American Cat Associaton (ACA). The club published four volumes of the first studbooks for pedigreed cats in the United States.

The Clubs of today are the backbone of the modern Cat Fancy. It is the Clubs that organize the majority of annual or bi-annual shows, it is the clubs which cultivate membership by individual fanciers and which create an opportunity for socializing between their breeder members, and it is the Clubs which seek to educate all cat fanciers on the finer points of the individual breeds.

Mrs. Lillias Bloem, Bloemhill Cattery

Mrs. Lillias Bloem was a breeder of solid color and particolor Persians under the cattery name Bloemhill.  She was a resident of CFA's Midwest Region, and served as CFA President from 1957 until 1966. 

Photo courtesy of The CFA Foundation.

Frank Lloyd Wright Cat House, 1954

Here's one of the more unique pieces we have in the Feline Historical Museum ... a cat house built to accompany the Frank Lloyd Wright house built for Gerald Tonken's family, Cincinnati Ohio, in 1954.  The story goes that the daughter wanted a special house built for her cat, and this cat house in Wright's signature Cherokee Red was the result.

Purchased by The CFA Foundation in 2014, the piece is accompanied by the original elevation drawings done by Wright's employee, Thomas Olson. 

TUEFEL, black smoke Persian, b 1900

'Teufel', born in 1900, was a Black Smoke male who kept the Smoke Persian variety at the forefront of Longhairs in the early cat fancy in England. He was bred and owned by a relatively new breeder and fancier at the time, Mrs. Sinkins, of Aldermoor House, Southampton. A popular and effective organiser, Mrs. Sinkins later became President of Committee for the Southern Counties Cat Club, which ran the popular and well attended annual Westminster Show.

This photo of Teufel is from The Book of the Cat, 1903, by Miss Frances Simpson. A full story of Teufel can be founda on The History Project web site at http://cat-o-pedia.org/teufel.html

OAKLANDS SCEPTRE, blue Persian female

Oaklands Sceptre, a blue Persian female, born April 9, 1909, as described by Judge Mr. T.J. Ambrose:

"What a wonderful combination of strength and quality! Her head is of sufficient strength for a good male; in fact, would shame many. Her full cheeks, full snub nose, and strength of muzzle, to say nothing of the width between the ears, which, by the way, are neat and well carried, short limbs and body, and built on very sturdy lines throughout, beautiful wide-awake eyes, and immense wealth of coat, which stands, as it should do, on end, and not, as many are, showing that tendency to flatness. Altogether, she is a beautiful example of what a Blue Persian Cat should be."

Shown here with her owner, Miss Gladys Cheetham.
Press Photo: Sport& General. Crystal Palace Show, December, 1910.
Courtesy of The Harrison Weir Collection. 

A Cat Named ROOM 8

"One school day in 1952 a large but rather thin, shorthaired, grey-striped tabby cat turned up and wandered into a sixth-grade (Year 6) classroom, where he jumped up, walked on desks in a friendly manner and was welcomed by the children. "

According to the book, A Cat Called Room 8, the tabby cat made himself at home on a desk while the class was out for recess. When they returned, they found that he had helped himself to their lunches while they were away. After lunch that day, the cat wandered away through the playground. But, he was back the next day ... and every shool day thereafter for the next 16 years.

The name "Room 8" came from the room number of the class where the cat had made himself at home. He visited from desk to desk, and napped wherever he chose to. Children shared their lunch with him.

Sharing The History Project

The History Project certainly does manage to share it's love of cat fancy history around the world.  Feline Historical Museum manager, Karen Lawrence, is often seen with a display at cat shows in the United States.

Here, CFA Foundation Board member, John Smithson, displays The History Project in New Zealand.

Historical Artifact - Cosey collar

This silver collar and medal was awarded to COSEY, a neutered Maine (Coon) cat, exhibited at the cat show held at Madison Square Garden, New York City, in May, 1895.

The collar and medal are on display at the Feline Historical Museum in Alliance, OH alongside a copy of the original show catalog.

CFA's Early Registration System

Sixty years ago, this was CFA's "state of the art" registration system.

A Children's Cat Library

Did you know that the Feline Historical Museum has a library dedicated for use by children?  Over 1500 children's books of cat stories are available for reading, along with lots of plush and stuffed cat toys, cat puzzles, etc.

The artwork on the walls is illustrations by Louis Wain, printed by Tuck & Sons in 1895. There's also a variety of Jamie S. Perry's whimsical artwork too.

Lots for children to see and do!

CFA Scoring

CFA's "Scale of points" in the 1954-1955 show season scoring system, as explained in the 1955 Cotton States Cat Club show catalog.

Cotton States Cat Club

The Cotton States Cat Club has been producing CFA cat shows in Georgia since 1938. This is the show catalog for their 16th show, held in Atlanta on Nov 20-21, 1954.

Legends of the Cat Fancy - Lady Aberdeen

Lord and Lady Aberdeen, with some of their Champion Skye Terriers and Persian Cats ready for a show.
Photo: by Brown, Inverurie. From 'We Twa' (1925) by Lord and Lady Aberdeen.
Image courtesy of The Harrison Weir Collection

Lord Aberdeen was appointed Governor General of Canada in 1893 and served for five years. While in Canada, Lady Aberdeen helped to establish the Victorian Order of Nurses.

Lady Aberdeen's father was largely responsible for developing the Golden Retriever breed, her husband bred Skye Terriers, and Lady Aberdeen herself bred Persians in a variety of colors.

'Lady Aberdeen and Ashtaroth of Haddo'
Photo: J. Auld, Ellon Cassell's Magazine. c.1903.
Image courtesy of The Harrison Weir Collection

 
The story of her SILVER TABBY PERSIAN, Ashtaroth of Haddo, http://cat-o-pedia.org/ashtaroth-of-haddo.html, includes numerous photos of the ancestral home and the pomp of the British aristocracy.

FEATHERS - a bicolor Persian

This is 'FEATHERS', an early 20th century bicolor Persian (described as "tortoiseshell and white smoke tabby") photographed with an antique Chinese headrest.

The photo was taken by Harriet V. Furness, who also did the charcoal drawing of 'Don Giovanni' on display at the Feline Historical Museum in Alliance, Ohio. 

Feathers was owned by Carl van Vechten, and the photo is from his book The Tiger in the House, 1936 (3rd printing).