Progress in Satins

by Frank Hawley
First printed in August 1984

The introduction of the Satin mouse was solely due to the efforts of our former President, Tony Cooke, who noticed the mutation in laboratory stock and had the foresight to appreciate its potential. Since the early 70s, the Satin has improved beyond all expectations, and has proved a worthy contender for top honours at the shows. In fact the popularity of the Satin has outgrown the provided classification at many shows, and to some extent its inevitable rise in this respect is being retarded by lack of this provision.

Frank Hawley

The National Mouse Club granted Section status to the Satin in 1976 and stipulated that all existing varieties would be accepted in the Satin version. At the time this seemed the sensible thing to do, but on reflection I am now not so sure. Some of the early Satins, ie Golden, Copper, Gunmetal etc, were very attractive but are now lost to the fancy because there is no normal equivalent. We now have the anomaly of some quite attractive colours being classed as Unstandardised and others which because they were represented in the normal variation are therefore now standard Satin varieties but don’t satinise well, ie Blacks, Chocolates and their equivalents.
The colours which accept and are enhanced by the Satin mutation, and this is a personal opinion only, are as follows: in Self colours, Silver, Dove, Champagne, Red, Fawn, Cream, Blue and Ivory (PEW). Although Cream and Ivory show satinisation very well, they are at some disadvantage due to the absence or reduction of pigment in the fur, and the effect of satinisation creating a degree of transparency in the coat. Therefore, the pink of the skin shows through the fur (particularly on the under) and is not allowed for by some judges. For example, it is possible for a Dove with a poor under to appear better than an Ivory with a good under.
In the Tan varieties, as in the Selfs, Silver, Dove, Cham etc all show the Satin well. Blacks and Chocs show Satin well on the Tan parts but not on the body. Agouti and Cinnamon Tans with a Satin coat are really very attractive, and together with other Satin Tans do, I suspect, have an advantage over their normal counterparts by the Tan being intensified by satinisation.
It can be assumed that popular opinion is not in favour of Marked Satins, as few have been produced in Dutch, Broken or Even, although the few I have seen were quite attractive. Himalayan Satins are exhibited occasionally and are as good as their normal counterparts. There is, however, a school of thought which contests whether the Himalayan should be in the Marked camp at all.* This contention does not affect the Himalayan Satin as it is usually exhibited in the AOV Satin class.
AOV Satins usually include Agouti, Cinnamon, Argente, Siamese, Chinchilla, Fox etc. The exceptional popularity of Agouti and Cinnamon Satinshas prompted a few clubs to provide classes for them. This can be a great advantage as it is the first sign of a break in the traditional “meat and two veg” type schedule of the recent past and may even lead eventually to “proportional representation” for the Satin, for it is overdue. It is my contention that classifications should keep abreast of variety popularity rather than the reverse being induced by inflexible schedules.

* The Himalayan was of course subsequently moved to the AOV section. Ed