1901 - 1939
ALL EXCERPTS ARE FROM THE BOOK 'THE ERMINETTE' BY CURT BURROUGHS
While few were aware of the various breeders that initiated each variation of the Erminette, the confusion surrounding comb, legs, and type was readily known at the time. This lead many to lament the misfortune of the various opinions and the lack of the breeders to unify themselves under one common Standard. The point is made clear by the following articles:
Add to this confusion of the shanks, comb and body type, was the added confusion of nomenclature which, in this era, was anything but “standard”. Between 1874 (when the first “Erminette” made its appearance) to the 1920’s, there was much confusion amongst poultry fanciers concerning the names Erminette and Ermine. Most can vividly recollect the regal robe worn by Royalty which is white with small black markings. This robe is created out of skins of the Ermine (a mammal that belongs to the rodent family), which is solid white with a black tipped tail. When making the robe, the Ermine tails are spaced out in an organized way, creating a striking display. The controversy sprang from the fact that two different color patterns derived their name from the same source; the robe worn by Royalty. As a result, there was much confusion about what constituted an Ermine or Erminette, with some individuals and breeders using both names interchangeably when describing one or the other. When one sorts through the history it becomes clear that the Erminette was a color pattern expressing a white bird with random and as evenly spaced black markings as possible and was not a pattern which bred true. The Ermine on the other hand was the same color pattern as the Columbian (or Light in the Brahma, Sussex, and Dorking). In fact, the originator of the Columbian Orpington variety originally coined his new creation the Ermine Orpington as he felt the Columbian name was a fad that would soon fade out and that naming a color variety after the Columbian Fair lacked any depth of meaning as compared to the pattern of the regal robes produced out of the fur the Ermine.
In studying the history of the Erminette as found in the pages of poultry antiquity, it becomes clear that Mr. Sutliffe considered the birds he called Erminette as a separate breed, but as the next few years rolled out, many others joined in the creation of their own version of the Erminette and within a couple decades the Erminette was found in such varying forms that most in the poultry world were forced to accept that the Erminette was not unified enough to be considered a standard breed, and to some this was a fact that was met with much disappointment.
*NOTE - There are no known illustrations or engravings of Erminettes from this time period. If any should be found please send notification of the find.
While few were aware of the various breeders that initiated each variation of the Erminette, the confusion surrounding comb, legs, and type was readily known at the time. This lead many to lament the misfortune of the various opinions and the lack of the breeders to unify themselves under one common Standard. The point is made clear by the following articles:
- “There have been differences of opinion as to the comb an Erminette should wear ever since that time, and it is owing to this difference of opinion among the breeders of the Erminette that they are not now in the Standard.” – Geo. H Brackenbury (The Poultry Monthly) Mr. Brackenbury wrote in this article that he was of the opinion that the rose comb clean legged version should have been merged into an Erminette or “Ermine” variety of Wyandotte considering how similar the rose comb Erminette was in type to the Wyandotte. This opinion was shared by many during this time period, and due to the fact that the Wyandotte was used in the creation of the rose comb, clean legged variation, it stands to reason why such an opinion was held.
- “Erminettes…have cropped out from time to time in our exhibitions, sometimes being shown with smooth shanks, and sometimes with shanks feathered. They have never been satisfactory enough to secure them to become completely bred.” – American Poultry Advocate 1918
- The Erminette…would have been a standard breed, in all probability, but for the fact that its breeders were unable to agree upon a standard, and bred it, according to individual predilection, with (feathered) and with clean shanks, and with three types of combs – pea, rose, and single. Even upon shape there was an unhappy divergence of opinion. But it was and is an excellent and attractive fowl.” – Poultry Breeding in the United States By H.S. Babcock
Add to this confusion of the shanks, comb and body type, was the added confusion of nomenclature which, in this era, was anything but “standard”. Between 1874 (when the first “Erminette” made its appearance) to the 1920’s, there was much confusion amongst poultry fanciers concerning the names Erminette and Ermine. Most can vividly recollect the regal robe worn by Royalty which is white with small black markings. This robe is created out of skins of the Ermine (a mammal that belongs to the rodent family), which is solid white with a black tipped tail. When making the robe, the Ermine tails are spaced out in an organized way, creating a striking display. The controversy sprang from the fact that two different color patterns derived their name from the same source; the robe worn by Royalty. As a result, there was much confusion about what constituted an Ermine or Erminette, with some individuals and breeders using both names interchangeably when describing one or the other. When one sorts through the history it becomes clear that the Erminette was a color pattern expressing a white bird with random and as evenly spaced black markings as possible and was not a pattern which bred true. The Ermine on the other hand was the same color pattern as the Columbian (or Light in the Brahma, Sussex, and Dorking). In fact, the originator of the Columbian Orpington variety originally coined his new creation the Ermine Orpington as he felt the Columbian name was a fad that would soon fade out and that naming a color variety after the Columbian Fair lacked any depth of meaning as compared to the pattern of the regal robes produced out of the fur the Ermine.
In studying the history of the Erminette as found in the pages of poultry antiquity, it becomes clear that Mr. Sutliffe considered the birds he called Erminette as a separate breed, but as the next few years rolled out, many others joined in the creation of their own version of the Erminette and within a couple decades the Erminette was found in such varying forms that most in the poultry world were forced to accept that the Erminette was not unified enough to be considered a standard breed, and to some this was a fact that was met with much disappointment.
*NOTE - There are no known illustrations or engravings of Erminettes from this time period. If any should be found please send notification of the find.