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TAXIDERMY:

Exploring one of the most

complicated collectibles

by Kary Pardy

omeone mentions taxidermy The long British history of hunting for sport and
and a few main themes come food combined with the desire for scientific preservation
Sto mind: trophies in hunting laid the groundwork for taxidermy as a pop-
lodges, decor in rustic cabins, or ular practice in mainstream Victorian
the old stuffed fox at your grand- society and people took to it with
parent’s house or neighborhood enthusiasm. It would not have been
antique store. The practice of unusual to find dioramas that included
preserving dead animals was once an mounted birds in a middle-class
art form, and in several ways still is, but taxidermy’s relationship with Victorian home, and
death and the strict regulations that now police it have, in some circles, several people
relegated taxidermy to a position only a few steps away from taboo. What does that mean tried their
for collectors? While the market is not what it once was, there are exceptions, and there hand at the art as
is a way forward if taxidermy appeals to you. To understand where the field is headed, one might try knitting.
let’s first take a look at where we’ve been. Victorian personal cabi-
nets of curiosities centered on
HISTORY natural world, from dried flowers to
the wonder and beauty of the
mounted birds.
The mid-19th century and the following Victorian period is perhaps the Golden It is worth noting that culturally,
Age of taxidermy. The 1851 Great Exhibition in London showcased the practice to the people during the Victorian period had a
public, who were wowed by the anthropomorphic arrangements of Hermann Ploucquet different relationship with death than we
(think “mice sitting down for tea”) and the impressive displays of stuffed birds by do today. Items that we may now find
ornithologist John Hancock. Queen Victoria herself was a collector of mounted birds, strange, such as jewelry made with the
and taxidermy flourished. hair of a deceased loved one or
post-mortem photography, were
not meant to be scary. Instead,
they were ways to preserve a
memory of a loved one in a
time when the death happened
in the home and was a more
common part of daily life.
Taxidermy found a similar niche – it was more about
preservation and celebration than about morbidity.
As taxidermy moved into the 20th century, it was
pioneered by professionals such as Carl Akeley, whose
resume included names like The Field Museum in
Chicago, the Milwaukee Public Museum, and the

While you can of course find vintage taxidermy at antique
dealers or flea markets, online marketplaces are also getting in
on the game. These striking examples were for sale in May at
1stdibs.com. We think something similar could be the perfect
addition to your cabin or collection. Mounted Taxidermy
Hare with Rifle, circa 2018, selling for $1,085, photo:1stdibs

Title image: Taxidermists use the term “specimen” for an
animal and “mounts” for all of their works. A “shoulder
Carl Akeley, considered the father of modern taxidermy, was also a talented sculptor, naturalist, mount” or a “trophy mount” is the term for a mounted head
and an inventor. He worked on these elephants at the Field Museum but also has a history of working from the shoulders up, such as this moose example. Taxidermists
with another famous elephant. While an apprentice at Ward’s Natural Science Establishment, tend to only use “stuffed” to refer to the old 19th century
he preserved P. T. Barnum’s beloved elephant Jumbo after a train accident. The project took five method of literally stuffing preserved animal skins with fabric
months. Fighting African Elephants, photo: Field Museum or straw. This did not produce realistic-looking results.

30 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles