After Captain Edes' death, his son took possession of the mermaid and sold it to Moses Kimball, of the Boston Museum, in 1842. Kimball brought the Fiji Mermaid to New York City that summer to show P. T. Barnum.[6] Before agreeing to exhibit the Fiji Mermaid, famed showman P.T. Barnum and purveyor of curiosities had a naturalist examine it. The naturalist, noting the teeth and fins of the "creature", could not conceive how it would have been manufactured but, not believing in mermaids, would not attest to the artifact's authenticity.[6][9] Despite the naturalist's doubts, Barnum believed that the relic would draw the public to the museum.