1950's cruel trend

Hi I am doing some research on a cruel trend of the 1950's.

I have been looking everywhere for this trend that came
about in the 1950's. This lady told me that they would purchase alive chameleons with little collars and chain leashes that end with a pin to
attach to clothing. The chameleons would crawl all over the lady all day
and they would later put them on the drapes at home. I have researched all
over the internet for pictures of this, and I assume that someone would
have taken a picture of this or written about it somewhere. I was
hoping that someone has come across any information about this or has actually witnessed this in their lifetime. If not maybe you could lead me to some place that would be recommended to research further.

This is true.
Senegals were victims of this trend and I believe anoles (this is possibly when they started calling them "American Chameleons")
You could buy them from street vendors, in train stations, at the circus, etc.

-Brad

Do you know where I could get more information about this and or pictures?

No.
Happily it is no longer practiced.
You might do some research on carnivals and circuses during that time.

-Brad

This came up before in this thread; sadly (or perhaps just as well) no pictures, but it looks as though old comic books may contain relevant advertisements.

the things mankind has done...

Funny.....I was going to post about this as I had found the images but ldvnicole beat me to it!

Here is the link....seems it was popular in the 1920's as well and the Queen even had one. You can scroll over the top images to see others of the same era.

It never ceases to amaze me what us humans will do all in the name of fashion

http://www.jamd.com/image/in-search/chameleon/#18g3308794

ridiculous.. It's saddening to hear things like this.

panthercham said:

Funny.....I was going to post about this as I had found the images but ldvnicole beat me to it!

Here is the link....seems it was popular in the 1920's as well and the Queen even had one. You can scroll over the top images to see others of the same era.

It never ceases to amaze me what us humans will do all in the name of fashion

http://www.jamd.com/image/in-search/chameleon/#18g3308794

Click to expand...

are there any pictures with the chain harnesses that they put on them, or pictures of them being sold at a street market fair or circus?

thanks so much, for the old thread!

I think these were actually Anoles, (from south?) but possibly chams. Note the date!

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9A0DE5D81638E233A25751C0A9649C94659ED7CF

February 2, 1894, Wednesday

Page 1, 289 words

********************

and this one off...

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A01E6DF1031E233A25750C0A9629C946096D6CF

(date at bottom of pdf)

Published: April 3, 1911
Copyright © The New York Times

*******************

and still today...

Supplies:
You will need an enclosure with a heated area separated by a moist area, rocks, plants, hiding place, food, and water for your gecko. A tiny chain is sold so you can wear your gecko on your shoulder and not lose it.

Click to expand...

http://www.cheappetstore.com/library/reptile-amphibian-species/lizard-species/fat-tailed-gecko

iguana harness

Brad Ramsey said:

No.
Happily it is no longer practiced.
You might do some research on carnivals and circuses during that time.

-Brad

Click to expand...

unfortunately Brad this still is practiced, recently i was speaking to a lady who goes to renessaince festivals all over the country and she was telling me how they were selling anoles at one of them and they did this to them, that shocked me that someone would do such a thing, and its funny this was brought up.

Thank you so much for these articles, they were very good research material...now if only I could have a picture of these and others as an example!!
Again, thanks so much!
Nicole

sorry all I have is my word, but it is still practiced in renaissance festivals and such.......people do anything for money there.

I've seen anoles for sale at renaissance fairs...they call them "miniature dragons" or something. But, I never saw them attached to leashes.

A couple years ago (maybe last year) I saw a special on some people doing this with roaches, except they also glued jewels and other things to the exoskeleton.

Edit: I guess it was mainly for modeling photos. Here's example: http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2006/04/18/PH2006041801098.jpg

well apparantly that is what they did in a NY renaissance fair, my monitor has a leash but he enjoys going in it to get sun outside.

Klemins said:

A couple years ago (maybe last year) I saw a special on some people doing this with roaches, except they also glued jewels and other things to the exoskeleton.

Edit: I guess it was mainly for modeling photos. Here's example: http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2006/04/18/PH2006041801098.jpg

Click to expand...

Actually, a few years ago in Mexico, I saw the same thing. In Addition to jewels, a chain with a pin was glued to the exoskeleton so you could wear it as living jewelery. I thought that was in bad taste/cruel and now I hear people have done this with reptiles!?! Man, we are a heartless species.