# Standards Question



## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

I have a small query... now I know that the Standards for Silver mice in the UK mention that they have to be as near to the colour of an Old Silver Coin, not like the ones we have now.

Now, my grandfather used to keep old coins, and had tonnes of old Shilling pieces. And they were very Clean and shiny... and definately darker than the coins we have today!!

So I just wondered... I have seen Silvers being shown, I was there once when a silver won BIS, and honestly, I thought it was White!! Much more like the coins we have today hehee

Maybe its just me, since I do prefer the slightly darker Champagnes and Silvers... but it seems like Selfs are getting paler and paler, and in the case of silvers, moving away from the standard.

Just MO!
Willow xx


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

*whispers* I agree that silvers these days are nothing like the standard describes.

Sarah xxx


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

Thank you Sarah! Hehee Glad its not just me!


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## The secret garden (May 13, 2010)

Silvers how i love thee,

You are right tho, for some reason the judges like lighter silvers. My silvers i tend to show are ther colour i like which are a little darker. I have won plenty of times as you both know, it depends on the judge which shouldnt be the case they should be judged to what the standards states. I try to show a range in colours so i can see what the judge likes. My problem is i like them a little darker same with the Cham's... keep that in mind for when i get asked to judge.


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

Colour is a major point in selfs, but its the mouse that is NEAREST to its standard that wins, (a mouse may be not the ideal colour, but still best in class) so therfore a class or even show winner may not be the perfect colour according to its standard. When I was judging I always allowed a small varience in colour as it is open to individual interpretation, including mine. Obviously this doesnt apply to colours that have to be as dark as possible, Blacks etc. 
Often its a case of get to know the judges preferences on shade. There is no right or wrong on shade, but to far off of the current accepted and forget getting a card. 
Colour cards have raised their heads over the years, its just not possible to achieve.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

I suspect most of the silvers are dove because when I tried to satinise my blues with them all I ever got were blacks which didn't seem right even to me who isn't into genetics.I gave up in the end,not one blue satin.


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

Yeah, I reckon the majority of Silvers shown are dove based.


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## The secret garden (May 13, 2010)

Oi, you trying to offend me?


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

no but the buck I had was a silver bred ivory from up north,silver bred whites are supposed to be the best rumour has it.Based on what I got from it it wasn't a silver at all so who knows what all the other silvers are.They are judged on colour any way not genetics so it doesn't really matter I guess.


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

My silvers are all doves really! Mwhahahaha!

Sarah xxx


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## Seawatch Stud (Feb 8, 2009)

SarahY said:


> My silvers are all doves really! Mwhahahaha
> 
> Yep fraid so. A silver is a pink eyed blue. A dove is a pink eyed black. If the silvers shown today were from blues they would have a bluish undercolour which they dont. You dont often even see judges blow the coat back anymore to look for it. It used to be said silvers were not true selfs because of this. You didnt often get silvers level enough to show due to the clumping and ticking caused by their blue origin. Having said all that its what the mouse looks like to the judge on the day that counts. The judge dosent judge the animals origins, only its appearance. Sam has benched some of the best silvers I have seen and her silver satins look like brushed steel, banging!.


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

I'm not knocking dove based silvers at all!! I think show wise they are generally much better, in colour and type.

And there is no where in the standards that says how a colour should be made, just what it should look like!! And silvers don't look like silver coins... LMAO


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## The secret garden (May 13, 2010)

If Phil is saying that the unlevelness would make them more Pe Blue's then thats what mine are, and the undercolour thing i will be inspecting the mice a lot more when i go and feed them in a min.

SarahC if you require another Silver bred white at any time try one from my stocks, see if its any different.


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## Wight Isle Stud (May 19, 2010)

SarahC said:


> no but the buck I had was a silver bred ivory from up north,silver bred whites are supposed to be the best rumour has it.Based on what I got from it it wasn't a silver at all so who knows what all the other silvers are.They are judged on colour any way not genetics so it doesn't really matter I guess.


Thats right, on the bench its colour. In the shed, its genetics. Once. when they are right, you never need to think of genetics again. if the genetics arnt right, the colour will never be quite right. If all silvers at present are pale doves, then so be it,all on an equal footing. However, watch out for the exhibitor that comes along with some genetically correct mice that results in correct colour on the show bench. 
Seawatch and I spent a fair bit of time in the sheds of the all time greats, seawatches post above should be taken as golden.


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## The secret garden (May 13, 2010)

Christ what i wouldnt give for a smily showing the little face vomiting everywhere.... Oh Seawatch the almighty! oh how i know different Mwhahaha!! :evil:


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

SarahY said:


> My silvers are all doves really! Mwhahahaha!
> 
> Sarah xxx


Mine too. :shhh


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## Seawatch Stud (Feb 8, 2009)

The secret garden said:


> Christ what i wouldnt give for a smily showing the little face vomiting everywhere.... Oh Seawatch the almighty! oh how i know different Mwhahaha!! :evil:


Hahaha nothing like respect for your elders and much betters eh?. Im gonna let it go as you came round and helped me clean out, thanks x.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

The secret garden said:


> SarahC if you require another Silver bred white at any time try one from my stocks, see if its any different.


thanks for the offer but I gave them all to Cait,lock,stock and barrel.It's time some of these men were swept aside.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

I'll be back. said:


> SarahC said:
> 
> 
> > Seawatch and I spent a fair bit of time in the sheds of the all time greats, seawatches post above should be taken as golden.


snorts uncontrollably.


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## Seawatch Stud (Feb 8, 2009)

Aww bless!. You never know Sarah maybe one day someone will come along whos good enough to sweep some of these men away.......one day.


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## WillowDragon (Jan 7, 2009)

Thats fighting talk! *laughs*


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

I thought of something else.Quite a few years ago I had some silvers off of D.Safe and also some off of D.Whittaker and colour aside they looked nothing like the ones being shown now.Big,broad and butch even the does with incredible pink beads for eyes.I suspect that these were actual genetic silvers.They seem to have disappeared from the fancy.I had problems getting them to breed and they nearly lead to my brindles becoming extinct.


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