Luke do you know what year this article was written? I remember seeing it before, but it is good to see again and reread. I wonder if "bellneck" frillbacks are still out there anywhere? Clean-legged?
At the last NJ show here we entered the only frillbacks. The judge (who was otherwise an experienced and reputable pigeon judge) explained that a frillback should have as large a muff as possible........similar to a swallow in the show. Now that is not part of the standard, but the standard IS changing and evolving according to the likes of folks over time. As mentioned even in this article, the curl/frill should be the point of primary interest and that is still in the standards.
A great breed!! I/we thoroughly enjoy them. I like seeing them in ohter colors. I do believe curl is first but folks should also maintain healthy birds that breed and feed thier young well. They should be a pleasure to work with.

 

The article was written in 1909 I believe.

Swiss cresant is like a saxon moon pigeon and sounds like the description of this type of frillback.
The crescent/bellneck doesn't exist anymore, maybe war wiped them out, who knows. A milky white frillback with red bars, red crescent on the neck and pearl eyes would be quite a site.
I'm also interested to find out what Erminette pigeons looked like.
It sounds a bit like almond to me. Maybe Tiger grizzle but more than likely almond.
I have loads of files about frillbacks but I know I'm missing a lot of history.

 

Some great looking German Frillbacks.

http://www.svlockentauben.de/html/HauptsonderschauNov2010.html

 

Beautiful birds



Is anyone selling these in the States?

 

Elmer Chapman 1909

http://archive.org/stream/cu31924000115463#page/n19/mode/2up

lots of Frillback files

http://thepigeonkey.wix.com/1#!frillbacks

 

The Frillback

A Very old breed said to have come from Asia Minor or India. Frillbacks go back to at least 1640 when the French colonised in India. It is said in todays German standard Frillbacks were being bred in England and Germany in the first half of the 18th centaury.
In 1757 Hazelquist saw pigeons in Cairo "on which each and every feather was twisted or turned round." The bird he saw had clean legs and was said to have come from India.
The Frillback was mentioned in 1765 when the "Treatise on Pigeons" was published in England.
Charles Darwin received a clean legged Indian Frillback from Madras in the mid 1800's and states it was very different to the English Frillbacks he had already obtained.
In 1909 Elmer Chapman of America describes the white variety which originated in Holland with shell crest and long frilled muffs also the Austrian or German variety which comes in clean legged, stockings or grouse and all colours including bell-necks or crescents, black, white, selfs, erminettes and grizzles.
"Bell-neck or Crescent should have pearl eyes, grouse muffs, all white, except wing bars and crescent over the crop. Ermlnettes. White peppered with black. Tails colored in all varieties except the white. Very bright in coloring."
In 1936 H Wexelsen of Norway discovered there are two genes for the curl in Frillbacks Cu1 and Cu2. Both genes are said to be autosomal and partial dominant.
Today Frillbacks come in many colours and patterns including almond and indigo however they no longer exist in a clean legged variety.
The German Frillback club was formed in 1905 and has been the world leader in the breed ever since.
The American Frillback Club was formed in the 1960's.
Here in NZ we use the American standard which is similar to the German.
American Standard recognised colours.
SELF - White, Black, Recessive Red and Yellow.
PATTERN - Recessive Red and Yellow in Mottle, Rosewing, or Whiteside.
GRIZZLE - Red, Yellow, Blue, Silver.
SHIELD MARKED - Red, Yellow, Blue Black Bar, Silver Dun Bar, Mealy Ash Red Bar, Ash Cream Bar.
ARC-Any rare color
ARCP-Any rare color pattern.
In 1971 the late Tom McCaig started to create self red, self yellow, and self gold (pale ash red) using a Saxon white tail. In The late 1980's he sent some self reds and yellows to Willi Kolb in Germany who improved the curl and the new colours gained acceptance in both standards.
Shield marked Frillbacks were first bred over two hundred years ago and have recently made a big come-back in the German shows. The shields have been improved using shield racers. They come in red, yellow, blue-bar, black, mealy and cream. Shields are the only Frillbacks permitted to have bull eyes.
In recent years the crested shield has been accepted into the German show standard. Previously only whites could have crests.
In the American standard crests can be shown in any colour or pattern. Also accepted in the American standard is the recessive red, gold (pale) or yellow white-side, the red, gold or yellow rose-wing and red, gold or yellow mottle all created by Tom McCaig of California during the 1990's. He used a Dutch white shield highflier.
Currently here in Christchurch I'm working on Recessive red, black and crested white Frillbacks. Once these are up to standard I will endeavour to breed blacks with white bars and red with white bars.
When judging Frillbacks curl is the most important factor for it receives up to half the points awarded.
Below is the points system from the Frillback standard.
HEAD -Plainhead, Crest, Eye, Beak, Wattle.......15
COLOR-Luster, Shade, Richness, Markings.......15
BODY -Neck, Breast, Back, Legs, Wings, Tail......10
CURL - Coverage, Length, Ending. Closing, Ringlet, Curl....50
MUFF-Length, Hock, Shape, Feather Curl.....10
TOTAL POINTS.....100
I was born in 1985 which I estimate is not long after Frillbacks were first brought into the country.
As little as two shipments of Frillbacks came into New Zealand. The First shipment were an unimproved grizzle strain. They look similar to those depicted in the earliest Treaties on pigeons. They are long low birds with small curls. They are lighter in colour and often seen with a crest. Flecked with white all over which is what the old standard called for. Maybe these birds were bred with white crested Frillbacks before they made it here.
I am unsure if white Frillbacks ever existed in NZ and I'm unsure what country these first Frillbacks came from, Rick may be able to answer that one.
The second shipment came from America via Australia due to Importation rules. I think it may have been Tom McCaig who sent the birds which were an improved strain he previously imported from Germany. The red grizzle had been select bred to have a 'skull-head' grizzle appearance.
Neither the blue grizzle or red grizzle had white flecking like the original strain. This is what the standard now calls for. Their curls are also harder, wider and larger but maybe not as dense.
One of the cocks from America carried the dilute gene which is how we acquired yellow and silver grizzles. The red grizzles in the German/American strain may have been t-cheque in base pattern and they carry a bronze gene to make the red richer.
Most Frillbacks carry one of the dirty genes making the beak black.
In my experience most Frillbacks also carry the sooty gene.
In order to breed a pure white from two ash red grizzles you must breed out the sooty gene and to get a flesh beak you must breed out the dirty gene.
If you breed red grizzles with blue grizzles you risk moving bronze onto your blue from the red, you also risk loosing the bronze from your reds giving you bronzy blues and dull reds.
Only the red grizzles are acceptable with the t-cheque base pattern. Blue grizzles should be barred.
The reds should always be a rich red and the blues can be either light or dark blue grizzle with no whole white feathers.
I will try to promote the Frillback, carry it into the future, improve the type and create new colours.
Luke

 

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/9325552/331251716/name/UNKNOWN_PARAMETER_VALUE

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/9325552/975510391/name/UNKNOWN_PARAMETER_VALUE

http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/9325552/486397364/name/UNKNOWN_PARAMETER_VALUE

 

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f101/frillback-lockentauben-34148.html

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f5/dutch-frillback-anyone-seen-one-30706.html

 

I like your album Luke and how it is divided up showing individual birds. Luke do you have any trouble sexing your frillbacks or infertility compared to other breeds you keep? I have not had that problem but it has been mentioned with some strains.

 

Chris, I have been scraping the lofts and cleaning the nests this year and I can tell you one thing, The frillbacks have no issue with hatching and raising a nest of two young, In fact, I find them more reliable than the Croppers and Thief's and even some racers who tend to give too much water causing wet nests. So in short, They breed like rats. I wonder if it is down to Luke being willing to take other frillbacks from fanciers and providing they show some good characteristics working with them to get new blood. Similarly to yourself with the nice coloured birds. I am sure Luke will have something to say too.

 

Evan-
Thanks and I agree with you. The curl should be first but I think the birds should always be good breeders, hardy, and a pleasure to have around!!

 

The really inbred strains are slower to mature and have small eggs with poor shells, the hens can stop breeding as early as 5 years old, they aren't very active and take ages to mate.

It would seam if you cross two strains, both strains being pure Frillback, you get birds which mature quicker and are more active. They can build nests, mate quickly, their eggs are still small but have better shells and they would seam to have more fertile eggs.

 

 

 

such beautiful birds

 

http://www.frillbacks.com/

http://loftone.net/frillback/

http://pigeon00.tripod.com/Frillback.htm

 

http://www.featheredworld.co.uk/pages/previews/08/05/sample_2.htm

http://archive.org/stream/PigeonBook#page/n237/mode/2up

 

Crested brown spread (chocolate)?

 

Is that actual brown spread?? I have not seen that photo before. They are not yours, correct?? How are your crested frillbacks doing?

 

They are not mine. I found the pic on picasa. They look brown spread to me. They have coloured beak and false pearl eye. The curl is good for a new colour project.

 

I was really talking about the Saddle Birds. I have never seen these before. My dad had Frillbacks back in the 60's so I grew up with them, but nothing that matched the German birds. I already raise Bokhara's, ET's, Jacobins, American Fantails. and Classic Frills, but I could find room for a pair or 2 of those!

 

The shields are nice. Especially with a good crest. There are some nice shields being bred in America. I can't decide what colour shield I like most.

 

LOVED seeing the pics of Frillbacks! Really so beautiful. Do they have problems flying?...does the curled feathers hinder long flights? Just curious. Thank you all for making a separate thread for this Magnificent pigeon. Peace

 

It's like they are afraid of heights. The curl doesn't seam to affect their flight but their flights and tail are corrugated or waved. The air passes through the gaps, similar to a pigeon flying with soaped wings or after a bath.
Glad you like the thread. Are Frillbacks popular in Bangladesh?

 

I like the Shields but don't have them. They are still rare here. The Germans have done a lot with the shields in recent years and I see some good ones on thier site. Danny-Jo currently has a pair of shields at auction on the Slobberknocker site. I did not know he kept Shields.
YaSin11 they are not very good fliers......they can go up to the roof and back and that is about it. Hawks are bad here so we have not let ours out for a long time but I miss doing so.
David we will have some bird for sale later. I also know someone in Georgia who will have some nice frillbacks for sale later on.
Photo of our baby lavender frillback hen from this morning. Her nestmate is a crested almond male.

 

Chris, I hope the almonds crest is wide and straight. I notice the crest can get wider, longer and straighter with the second moult.
Notice the frillbacks can change a lot between the first and second moult, they are still maturing. I've had two 'Best young Frillback' in show which both grew up to be average looking birds when other birds with small frayed curls matured into better birds.
Sometimes average birds from average bloodlines get off to a good start or hatch early in the season and do well at a show. Similarly if a good bird from good bloodlines doesn't get off to a good start it can take a couple of years to grow into a better bird than former.

 

I/we have been very happy with the curls in our group.......much better than most or all I have seen locally though there are even better birds out there especially the top German birds!
The almond's crest looks good...........I am happy to see a crest in our birds and in a color other than white!!

 

Cute little crested almond. Note the color break over his eye.

 

The Frillback: NPA Standard 1993

TOTAL POINTS 100
• HEAD - Plainhead, Crest, Eye, Beak, Wattle 15
• COLOR - Luster, Shade, Richness, Markings 15
• BODY - Neck, Breast, Back, Legs, Wing, Tail 10
• FRILL - Coverage, Length, Ending, Closing,Ringlet, Curl 50
• MUFF - Length, Hock, Shape, Feather Curl 10


RECOGNIZED COLORS - GRIZLE - Red, Yellow, Blue, Silver. SELF - White, Black. A.O.C. - (Any Other Color) Includes any birds splashed, mottled or any color not recognized. ORIGIN Home Unknown. In the first half of the 18th Century there was isolated breeding in England and Germany. the breed was widespread in Belgium and Holland when it was introduced into Germany. The red and blue grizzle showed up first in Hungary. From there they found their way through all of Austria, then Germany. Today the breeding is widespread. The white crested has been present in the United States since 1920, the colored varieties were imported from Europe in 1 951.
SIZE - Body carried slightly horizontal and low in stance. Slightly larger than most German Toy breeds, having larger wings and longer tail. The length of wing and tail feathers to be in proportion to the rest of the body size.
HEAD - Shell crested and plainhead are present in all colors. The following is the point breakdown of 15 points for head areas:
CRESTED - Beak and wattle, 1; Eye, 3: Head (shape), 2; Shell Crest, 8 = 15 points.
SHELL CRESTED - Shell shaped, positioned up on the back of the head, high and erect, full with feathers, thick, and have small rosettes on each side of the head. The crest feathers should stand straight up, not hugging the head, and be even across at its base.
PLAINHEAD - Beak and wattle, 2; Eye, 3; Head (shape), 10 = 15 points.
PLAINHEAD - the head should be large, but in proportion to the size of the body. the shape should be slightly oval with a well rounded forehead. There should be a definite stop of the forehead at the wattle.
EYES - Not large, located in a direct line with the beak. Red or orange colored iris is desired in all color varieties. Pearl, bull, cracked, gravel eyes are major faults and will be disqualified.
BEAK - The beak is long and slender, held straight out, curved on the tip, frequently the upper beak is slightly longer than the lower beak. Beak color is dark on red and blue, black on blacks, horn or light on yellow and silver, and flesh colored on whites. Wattle is thin, small and covered with white powder on all colors.
BODY - Generally boaty in appearance.
NECK - Seemingly short, protrudes entirely from the shoulder. Has very little throat, but well cut away.
BREAST - Broad, nicely plump, somewhat set forward (protruding).
BACK - Broad shoulders, slightly arched, sloping off gently.
LEGS - Short, with a muscular squat appearance, powerful.
TAIL - Wide feathers, rather long and borne relatively loose. The tail should not exceed over the width of two feathers. Almost but not dragging the ground. Each feather must have a definite wave or wrinkle.
WING - Wide and strong. The body is well covered. Wide primaries, the extreme end rest on the tail. The wing tips should not cross but form a 'V' at the tail. Each primary and flight feather must have a definite wave or wrinkle. Wing and tail feathers should not be excessively long in length.
MUFF - Muff or foot feathering is preferred, two to three inches in length, full and forming an arc shape. Feathers of the hock and foot feathering must have a definite wave or wrinkle., the feather ending with a curl or frill.
FRILL - (Curls) - Most important factor in judging. The feathers should not be so fluffy or straight that a well defined curl can't be formed. the frill should cover the entire wing shield, dense on the shoulders, so that no open areas stand out. The last row of frill, toward the tail, should run the entire length of the wing, and be long in length. Also, of great importance is the size of curl, the form, and the curl ending. The feather should be long in length, thick and the feather ending should form a closed curl ending with a round ringlet at the end. Feather curl should also be present at the ends of the foot feathers or muff and at the ends of the hock feathers. the primary flight feathers of the wing and tail feathers should have a definite wave or wrinkle. ATTENTION: The amount, size, closed curl, curl ringlet, total wing and curl coverage cannot be stressed enough. Remember the breed's name, FRILLBACK.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Disease, physical deformity of any kind, poor condition, any artificial alteration whatever or added appearance other than natural growth, or faking in any manner, all above at the judge's discretion.
VARIOUS COLORS
• WHITE - Pure white, without yellow tinge. Color faults: Black or bull eyes, not a clear beak color, colored feathers.
• BLACK - Jet black color with as much beetle green luster as possible over the entire plumage. The major goal is to obtain an even shade over all the body, flights and tail. Color faults: Grayish brown or dull fading color, primary and flight feathers dull compared to other black areas, visible bars, wrong eye color, white or light colored beak.
• RED GRIZLE - Lacquer bright fiery brick red and strong wherever on the body, a little lighter on the belly, rump and back. the head, neck and wing shield feathers should be red with part of the feather being white, which forms the sprinkling of white or grizzle pattern. Wing bar entirely dark strong red, clearly marked. Primaries and flights, upper and under surface lightly sprinkled with white. Color faults: Overall light red color without luster, blue feathers or shade in the white feathered areas, dark keel, light beak, too much white on the head, neck or wing shield.
• YELLOW GRIZLE - The yellow is exactly the same as the red grizzle. Lacquer bright golden yellow, and strong wherever on the body, a little lighter on the belly, rump and back. the head, neck, and wing shield feathers should be yellow with part of the feather being white, which forms the sprinkling of white or grizzle pattern. Wing bar entirely dark strong yellow, clearly marked. Primaries and flights, upper and under surface lightly sprinkled with white. Color faults: Overall light yellow color without luster, blue feathers or shade in the white feathered areas, dark keel, light beak, too much white on the head, neck or wing shield.
• BLUE GRIZLE - Blue grizzle appears in both light and dark blue. The neck is darker metallic green than the breast and shield. The wing bar is dark bray black to entirely black. The tail and wings are blue, with a darker bar. The tail guard feathers are sprinkled with medium bright blue feathers. The head, neck and wing shield feathers should be blue with part of the feather being white, which forms the sprinkling of white or grizzle pattern. Basic blue shade should be the same wherever on the bird. Flight feathers should not have any white parts. Any red feathers or rust at all on the wing shield or bar should not be present. Color faults: Too much white on the head, neck or flight feathers, weak shade of blue, and rust or red on the wing shield or bar.
• SILVER GRIZLE - Silver (Brown) grizzle appears in both light and dark silver. The neck is darker metallic green than the breast and shield. The wing bar is dark brown or dun color. The tail and wings are silver, with a darker bar. The tail guard feathers are sprinkled with medium bright silver feathers. the head, neck and wing shield feathers should be silver with part of the feather being white or fawn color, which forms the sprinkling of white or grizzle pattern. Basic silver shade should be the same wherever on the bird. Flight feathers should not have any white parts. Any red, rust or blue feathers at all on the wing shield or bar should not be present. Color faults: Too much white on the head, neck or flight feathers, weak shade of silver, rust, red or blue feathers on the wing shield or bar.