Birman Breeders in the USA

French-bred Birmans were first imported into the USA during the years 1959 to 1961 by Dr. and Mrs. John Seipel of Virginia.  They brought in two males and two females; three of these cats were sired by Hamlet de Madalpour.  The Seipels bred several litters under the cattery name "Janacques," and they undertook considerable efforts to promote the breed.  Their cats were transferred to Sheryl Van Gundy ("Skybrook") in the late 1960's; however, their lines do not appear to have been perpetuated further.

The most famous of the early Birman breeders in the U.S. is Mrs. Gertrude Griswold, of Tacoma, Washington.  She acquired her first pair from Mr. Carter Townes, who was on assignment in Cambodia.  They met in 1959 while Mr. Townes was visiting his sister in Washington; Mr. Townes had with him his two cats, a male Bok Khmer and a female, Schiaffa of Asia.  Mr. Townes was unable to keep his cats at his sister's home, and so Mrs. Griswold took care of the pair for him during his stay.  

He called them Tibetan Temple Cats, and related that they could only be acquired as a gift, as the cats were sacred. After returning to Cambodia, and in appreciation for Gertrude's kindness in boarding the cats during his stay in the U.S., Mr. Townes later sent to her as a gift two kittens:  a female, Pkaa ("little flower") and a male, Klaa Khmer ("tiger").

Mrs. Griswold discovered the similarity between her cats and the Sacred Cat of Burma, and thus began correspondence with Madame Poirier of France, who confirmed the authenticity of Mr. Townes' cats--they were indeed Sacred Cats of Burma--acquired from Mlle. Gillet, a known Birman breeder who had resided in Cambodia with her cats.  Mlle. Gillet bred under the prefix, "des Brosses" and her stock was of German origin, descended from one of the earliest Birman breeding programs, out of Frau Hanna Kreuger's "Von Frohnau" cats.

Madame Poirier and other French breeders were in need of new outcrosses to strengthen their lines, and agreed to send some French cats to Gertrude so that kittens resulting from the pairings could be sent back to France.  Thus, Mrs. Griswold received from France a male, Korrigan de la Regnardiere, and a female, Leslie de la Regnardiere,  the first of many imports.  Gertrude Griswold first bred under the cattery name, "Clover Creek," but later changed to "Griswold."  

During the years 1961-1964, Col. and Mrs. Martin Rau were stationed in Europe, where they acquired their foundation Birmans, including a female, Karyne D'Ormailley and several cats out of the Clos Fleuri cattery.  Karyne was bred to Hamlet de Madalpour to produce Neko de Lao-Tsun.  When they returned to the U.S., they brought their cats with them, and some were leased (with ownership later transferred) to Miss Verner Clum of Florida, a prominent long-time Persian breeder ("Gaylands" cattery) who had fallen in love with their Birmans.  Several of Miss Clum's cats, including Neko,  were later purchased by Mrs. Griswold.

Gertrude Griswold's first Birmans,

Pkaa and Klaa Khmer