Vintage Animal Oddities

These hubs feature vintage photographs from my collection, and discuss what they show. More will be added as I get time to scan and post more pictures from my personal collection.

Some of these pictures are from known sources such as newspaper archives or the the collection of H E Zimmerman, others were found in second hand shops or via online auctions. It is a bit sad when a picture gets separated from its context (subject, photographer or descendents) but at least I can give them a good home and a new life online.

Each photo provides a concrete jumping off point for the discussion of "animal oddities", demonstrating some of the weird and wonderful creatures brought into the world by genetic or other congenital variations.

• Animals with No Front Legs (three examples) [3]
• Calf triplets
• Cow Nursing Lambs
• Deer with Growth on Neck [1]
• Deer-Cow, The
• Freak Deer
• Overgrown Hooves
• Rabbit with no ears (two examples) [1] [4]
• Swayback Horse
• Three-legged calf (three examples)
• Tiny Horses (two examples)
• Two-headed dog
• Two-headed calves and cattle (seven examples) [2]
• Unusual horses (two examples)
• White deer (two examples)
• White raccoon [1]

[1] From the collection of H E Zimmerman; [2] Archives of the Examiner [4] Bernard Kobel

While an interest in animal oddities may seem, and indeed sometimes be, rather gratuitous and morbid--it does have another side to it. These pictures provide an avenue for exploring our past relationships with animals, elucidating the science of their genetics and anatomy, and they include some cautionary tales.

Many of these defects are cause by breeding and husbandry practices--and so those that cause suffering to the animal can be eradicated by increasing awareness of their appearance and causes.

if you wish to reproduce any of these vintage photographs please contact me at psycheskinner at gmail.com--I do support the use of these pictures for non- (or negligibly) commercial purposes by require notification and a link back, please.

I am seeking photographs similar to the ones shown on this hub. I am particularly seeking photographs of:

• Horses with very long main/tail (especially well-known sideshow/circus horses)
• Animals congenitally missing limbs
• Fawn-calf syndrome
• Non-standard markings on zebras
• Alleged cryptids
• World's smallest and largest horses and other animals.

If you have a specific image I am seeking I pay $10 for photographs or photo-postcards from 1920 or earlier, $5 for photographs from 1921-1950. Originals only. Higher prices may be negotiated depending on subject or rarity.

I will also trade photos and list spare photos below when I have them available.

None currently available.