Taxidermy4Cash.com

Taxidermy and the effort involved in creating a modern case.

We are always very interested in Purchasing Victorian Taxidermy, please respond via this on-line form of what you have for sale. HERE

We get asked to recommend Bird Taxidermists in the UK and America. This taxidermist produces modern creations utlising many of the design features and case building techniques created by the Victorian Taxidermists. This taxidermy art form has changed little over the years. Preservation techniques in terms of the use of chemicals has changed and groundwork has become more realistic. Apart from that the taxidermy techniques used 150 years ago are still relevant today.
We have always been interested in creating dioramas, with nest eggs and chicks and to also closely match the birds that associate together and also near as possible the habitat in which they would be likely to be found. The case that is outlined below demonstrates the stages involved the choice of landscape, colours, materials and of course the choice of mounts. The duck indicated here is a Black Scoter or Common Scoter, North American but also a visitors to the UK. The taxidermy has been undertaken, with birds that have been legally obtained. The styrafoam rockwork to 15-20 coats of paint to create both texture and depth. The resin required 6-10 applications for the same reason, allowing each application to dry prior to the next coat. Each stone is hand painted and then varnished to create a wet look. The birds, well taxidermists will know what they take to create, then of course there is the cabinet work and galzing. Clearly some people spend more time on cases and mounts than others.

Common Guillemot (Uria aalge)

The Thin-billed or Common Murre (Uria aalge), also called Common Guillemot, is a relatively large auk. It spends most of its lifetime at sea, only coming to land to breed on rocky cliff shores or islands. Adult birds are 38-46 cm in length with a 61-73 cm wingspan and weigh 945-1044 g when fully grown. They are black on the head, back and wings, and have white underparts. They have a thin dark pointed bill and a small rounded dark tail. The face becomes white in winter with a dark spur behind the eye. The chicks are downy in appearance with blackish on top and white below. The bird is a fast, agile flier. The wings flap quickly and continuously in a straight line along the sea surface.

The Concept

First we start with images for the birds and also the case

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First we start with images for the birds and also the case

Cliff reference shot for case work consideration. Clearly the scale will be reduced due to space considerations.

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Frozen bird from wildlife sanctuary

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More reference shots.

Birds mounted and awaiting the drying out process

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Birds mounted and awaiting the drying out process

Reproduction eggs created by perhaps the finest egg reproducer in the UK, Mr G Axon.

Modern case of Guillemots. Some of the eggs have been included. This is another collaborative case, neither Cornish nor for sale. A Puffin case (8-10 birds) with nests and eggs are next as are Arctic Terns (8 birds) and Arctic Skuas / Fulmars (8 birds). We considered Gannets but are running out of space.