Skulls Unlimited International
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. | |
Area served | Worldwide |
|---|---|
Key people | Jay Villemarette (president) |
| Products | Real and replica skulls and skeletons |
| Website | www |
Skulls Unlimited International, Inc. is a commercial supplier of
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Skulls Unlimited Inc. provides a skull cleaning service, using dermestid beetles to strip the flesh from skulls and skeletons.[2] The bones are later whitened using hydrogen peroxide. Skulls Unlimited processes approximately 25,000 skull specimens per year.[3]
History
In the summer of 1986,
high school, he collected and sold skulls in his spare time[6] while working as an auto body technician. As sales grew, Villemarette and his wife Kim began to clean skulls in their kitchen.[5]
After relocating to a retail location for his business in 1992, Villemarette was able to employ his first full-time
Oklahoma City
.
Over the years this business has been featured on several television programs including;
- Taboo; "Living with the Dead" Season 8, Episode 5. Air Date: June 17, 2012
- Auction Kings; "Les Paul Guitar/Giant Bat" Season 3, Episode 12. Air Date: Jun.14, 2012
- Modern Marvels; "Built by Hand" Season 18, Episode 2. Air Date: Oct. 10, 2011
- Skeleton, Inc. Season 1, Episode 1 (Pilot). Air Date: Sept. 18, 2011
- Weird, True & Freaky; "Eternally Stuffed" Season 3, Episode 12. Air Date: Nov. 23, 2010
- Dirty Jobs; "Skull Cleaner" Season 1, Episode 23. Air Date: July 11, 2006
- MSNBC Investigates; "Shades of Obsession" Season 1, Episode 115. Air Date: April 17, 2001
- Ripley's Believe It or Not!Season 2, Episode 6. Air Date: Feb. 14, 2001
Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge
pose with Skulls Unlimited International's Jay Villemarette and Joey Williams 2004.In 2004, Skulls Unlimited Inc. was invited to participate in the
Mythbusters, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman
.
In January 2013, Villemarette guest starred on John Hodgman's podcast Judge John Hodgman as an "expert witness" to comment on the hobby of collecting skeletons and taxidermied animals.[7]
Museum of Osteology
In 2004, Skulls Unlimited Inc. started construction on a new 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m2) building that now houses Skulls Unlimited Inc.'s corporate offices and
Orlando, FL., which displays over 500 real skeletons.[9]
References
- ^ The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
- ^ "Where 'how greasy a human is' is part of the job". Associated Press. October 30, 2006. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
- ^ Raymond, Jeff. "Skeleton Crew". The Oklahoman. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
- ^ Urstadt, Brian (July 2006). "I'm Going to Rib-cage World". www.outsideonline.com. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
- ^ The Oklahoma Gazette. October 25, 2006. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
- ^ Staff Writer (April 2, 2007). "Life as a skull cleaner is a messy job". Reuters. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
- ^ MaxFun Intern (23 January 2013). "Judge John Hodgman Episode 94: Bleached and Mounted Bones of Contention". Maximum Fun. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
- ^ Brus, Brian (May 27, 2009). "Skull Junkie Finds Solid Future in Skeleton Frontier". The Journal Record. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
- ^ uncredited (May 12, 2015). "Skeleton museum now open at I-Drive 360". Attractions Magazine.