The Fiji mermaid (also Feejee mermaid) was an object composed of the torso and head of a juvenile monkey sewn to the back half of a fish. It was a common feature of sideshows where it was presented as the mummified body of a creature that was supposedly half mammal and half fish, a version of a mermaid .

Jun 10, 2023 · Often written as ‘Feejee,’ the Fiji mermaid became a widely recognized sideshow attraction in the 1800s. The inaugural exhibition of the Fiji Mermaid was put on by P.T. Barnum, a renowned showman and entrepreneur, at Barnum’s American Museum, New York, in 1842.

Apr 19, 2016 · The Fiji (also spelled as ‘Feejee’) mermaid was a sideshow that gained popularity during the 19th century. The original Fiji Mermaid was displayed in 1842 by P.T.

Sep 9, 2016 · The Feejee Mermaid (sometimes spelled Fiji Mermaid and FeJee Mermaid) was a hoax promoted by P.T. Barnum during the 1840s. It was the most famous of several fake mermaids exhibited during the...

May 16, 2013 · A 100-year-old purveyor of curiosities, curios, and kitsch featuring mummies, shrunken heads, and a Fiji Mermaid.

Mar 7, 2025 · In 1842, P. T. Barnum was approached by a man who offered him a preserved mermaid, which he leased for $12.50 a week. Soon afterward, New York newspapers ran stories on the amazing, mummified mermaid obtained from the little-known Fiji Islands.

Oct 27, 2023 · In 1906, a Navy sailor named L.C. Bishop returned home to Ohio from Japan with a curious souvenir: the remains of what appeared to be a tiny, clawed, grimacing “mermaid.” Now, researchers at Northern Kentucky University (NKU) are examining the object to see if they can decipher its origins.

Nov 15, 2023 · The Fiji mermaid, or Feejee mermaid, is a legendary sea monster with its roots in the South Pacific nation of Fiji. It was initially made available to the general public in 1842 in New York, United States.

Jan 15, 2018 · Last summer while exploring museums in London, I encountered three different notorious fakes on display. Grotesquely combining a half-fish, half-mammal body, these Fiji mermaids crept among the...

Apr 19, 2016 · The Fiji mermaid (also Feejee mermaid) was an object comprising the torso and head of a juvenile monkey sewn to the back half of a fish. It was a common feature of sideshows, where it was presented as the mummified body of a creature that was, supposedly, half mammal and half fish, a version of a mermaid.