Collection Corner

Animal preservation has been an important part of human history, essential to both survival and culture. From porcupine quill harvesting for tribal jewelry to ancient Egyptian pet mummification, the challenge of keeping organic material resistant to decay has been practiced in many forms. It wasn't until relatively recently that societies began to see the potential of animal preservation for the purpose of education and conservation (a story for another time perhaps). This new appreciation for what would become the diorama propelled the art of taxidermy, both scientifically and aesthetically, into an entirely new form of preservation.

Considering the extensive chemical process skins must undergo to resist putrefaction, it's no wonder it took time for the process to advance enough to yield skins that make convincingly life-like mounts. That said, the surge of "Crap Taxidermy" (Google it, you'll thank me) proves that a perfectly tanned skin is only part of the equation of a good mount. A quality mount requires the discipline of a tradesman with the skill of an artist.

A raw or "green" skin is highly susceptible to bacterial rot, which can cause "slippage" (the degradation of skin to the point that hair begins to "slip" out). A freshly skinned hide should be cleared of meat and fat as much as possible in the first step of fleshing." This can be achieved a number of ways, and depending on the animal, may require tools as simple as a spoon or as advanced as a fleshing wheel, which sheers the excess flesh off with a rapidly turning blade. Immersing the hide in salt not only prevents bacterial growth and infestation, but it also pulls moisture from the skin, preparing it to be "thirsty" for tanning solutions.

Once the hide is thoroughly dry with a rigid quality to it, it is submerged in an acid pickle which removes collagen proteins, opening the molecular structure of the skin to the introduction of stabilizers. After the acid has had ample time to penetrate the skin, the hide is transferred to a tanning bath, made most commonly with a metallic tan such as aluminum sulfate. These stabilizing molecules fill in the collagen gaps, creating a stronger structure that is resistant to decay and unattractive to pests. A tanning oil is massaged into the skin after this process to strengthen this new structure and create flexibility in the skin.

It's during this process, which can take days to weeks, that the taxidermist will create a "form" that matches the anatomy and specific measurements of the discarded carcass. Award-winning taxidermists are sculptors as much as they are biologists, understanding with intuitive precision the subtle transitions of muscle and skin. The tanned skin is then glued to the sculpted form with a special paste while glass eyes, clay, and some skillful sewing bring the piece together . After a shampoo, blow-dry, and some light painting to create color in the nose, eyes, and mouth, the final piece is ready to go on display.