Tuesday, October 12, 2010

St. Louis Zoo #17


Scan13178, originally uploaded by bucklesw1.

Posted by Buckles at 10/12/2010 06:10:00 AM

3 comments:

J C Hall said...

At the time of this photo this group of apes would have ran $3000 to $4000 for the lot. Now depending on the sex, today's prices would be closer to $250,000.00 to $400,000.00

12 October, 2010 15:32
Jim A. said...

This would have been the time that Leon Smith was the trainer. Leon put ponies in the act and had a big show. Leon did stay at the Zoo from 1933 until he was terminated on Labor Day 1945 so he would have performed at the Chimp Arena.

As to Jimmy's comment about chimp prices: Trainers said Vierheller would pay about $500 to 600 for a young chimp. If the chimp would walk over to the Director the price went to $1,000. If the chimp would then smoke a cigar the price went to $1,500. Mike Kostial said he got stuck with a lot of dumb, friendly chimps with bad habits.

13 October, 2010 13:36
J C Hall said...

Jim A.
I recall in the late 50's baby chimps were from $300 and $450 if you got to pick or what ever the market would bear. My dad sold the one we had that was barely three. He had her riding unicycle and walking wire and got $1100 in 1958.
I also recall that before you went to buy a baby chimp, and went to look at them you went by the weight not the age that they would tell you. When told they were real young,as Bobby Gibbs would say,and I quote, "That damn ape was big enough to be changing 10.000 20's at the truck stop".
PS.Also a dealer could pretty much count on fetching a higher price from a municipal owned entity.

13 October, 2010 20:53

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