A stuffed carp named Clarissa, caught 72 years ago, is being sold in Great Britain, writes Hereford Times.
The famous fish was caught on September 12, 1952 by British fisherman and writer Richard Walker. Clarissa's weight is almost 20 kilograms. The fish became famous for being six kilograms heavier than the previous record carp caught in the UK. Clarissa has now been put up for auction and the promoters are aiming to get £35,000 to £40,000 for it.
In the middle of the 20th century, Walker was perhaps the only person who believed that a carp heavier than 18 kilograms could be caught in the country. Professional fishermen consider the writer a dreamer, and articles ridicule him appear in specialized magazines. But in September 1952, Walker still caught a record carp, surprising even the biologists at London Zoo, who initially called him a fraud. Today, the capture of Clarissa is considered the beginning of modern competitive fishing.
Walker's record stood for 28 years. In 1980, a carp weighing 23.3 kilograms was caught. He was also caught in the same lake near the town of Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, as Clarissa. The legendary fish itself lived in the London Zoo aquarium until 1972, after which it was embalmed.
The auction will take place on June 24-25 in Coventry. “This is a unique opportunity to acquire the most significant specimen of carp in existence,” said a spokesman for the auction house.