Taxidermy is the art of mounting or reproducing animals for display or study and in the past the word has been associated with large gloomy Victorian houses filled with stuffed animals.

However in recent years, taxidermy has emerged from the shadows as a collecting area in its own right and in the United Kingdom there are now dealers who deal only in taxidermy. In Victorian times, taxidermists performed a valuable service, bringing wildlife into homes and allowing the inhabitants to see real birds and mammals at close quarters. They could also create trophies to provide mementoes of a good day's fishing or hunting.

The value of taxidermy specimens is enhanced by the presence of an original label detailing when and where the specimen was obtained and by a trade label of the taxidermist, the most sought after being Rowland Ward of London.

In assessing a taxidermied specimen, the potential more...

29 items found:

These items have been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.

A pair of extinct male and female huia birds, the female with…

A pair of extinct male and female huia birds, the female with raised head and open beak, the male posed at slightly lower level alongside her, both perched upon a small tree stump, the pair as mounted in 19th century, unrestored condition, some tail…

Huia head section with beak intact, 12cn length

Intact Huia Head Section with 12cm Beak Length

Huia head section with beak intact, 12cn length

Huia feather, 17 cm length

Rare 17cm Huia Feather for Collection

Huia feather, 17 cm length

Huia feather, 17 cm length

Rare 17cm Huia Feather

Huia feather, 17 cm length

Huia feather, 17 cm length

Rare 17cm Huia Feather for Collectors

Huia feather, 17 cm length

A taxidermied Huia, the female bird with twelve tail feathers,…

Restored Huia: A Rare Bird's Revival

A taxidermied Huia, the female bird with twelve tail feathers, standing in a naturalistic setting. Kept in storage in the dark for the last fifty years. Some restoration.

A fern flat pottery huia feather ceramic wall hanging, in…

Terracotta Fern Flat Huia Feather Wall Hanging

A fern flat pottery huia feather ceramic wall hanging, in terracotta red and white. Incised maker's mark on the reverse, height 36.3 cm, width 7.8 cm, depth 1.5 cm

A model of the topsail schooner 'Huia', she sailed around New…

Huia: A Topsail Schooner's Journey

A model of the topsail schooner 'Huia', she sailed around New Zealand, across the Tasman, and the Pacific from1894 to 1951. Width 76 cm. Height 54 cm. Together with the book 'Log of Huia'.

Replica huia in glass dome, 50 cm overall height

Glass Dome Huia Replica - 50cm Height

Replica huia in glass dome, 50 cm overall height

Two small huia feathers, both approx. Length 11 cm.

Pair of 11 cm Huia Feathers

Two small huia feathers, both approx. Length 11 cm.

Attributed John P. Backhouse pair of Maori portraits on shells,…

Maori Shell Portraits with Moko and Huia Feathers

Attributed John P. Backhouse pair of Maori portraits on shells, small/medium size, both with Moko and shoulders wrapped with cloak, the woman with two Huia feathers to her hair. Approx height 10 cm and 10.5 cm.

Huia feather. Length 17.5 cm

17.5 cm Huia Feather

Huia feather. Length 17.5 cm

Two huia tail Feathers. Lengths 18.5 cm and 20 cm

Huia Tail Feathers: 18.5 cm and 20 cm Lengths

Two huia tail Feathers. Lengths 18.5 cm and 20 cm

Two huia tail feathers, showing some distress. Lengths 19 cm…

Distressed Huia Tail Feathers - Last of their Kind

Two huia tail feathers, showing some distress. Lengths 19 cm and 20 cm. Note: the extinct Huia had its last confirmed sighting in 1907.

Huia feather some losses to shaft, length 19.3 cm

Damaged Huia Feather: 19.3 cm Length Loss

Huia feather some losses to shaft, length 19.3 cm

Huia feather, length 9.5 cm

Rare Huia Feather: 9.5 cm Length

Huia feather, length 9.5 cm

Kotore huia huia bird tail feather, length 20 cm

20 cm Kotore Huia Huia Tail Feather

Kotore huia huia bird tail feather, length 20 cm

Female huia head in framed display

Framed Huia Head Display: Female

Female huia head in framed display

A huia tail feather, traditional near black tone with white tip,…

Extinct Huia Tail Feather with White Tip

A huia tail feather, traditional near black tone with white tip, colour matched shaft, no quill. Length 13 cm. Note the Huia was the largest species of N.Z. wattlebird, endemic to the North Island, becoming extinct in the early 20th century .

Huia Feather. Rare tail feather from extinct huia. Single huia…

Extinct Huia Feather: Rare and Valuable

Huia Feather. Rare tail feather from extinct huia. Single huia feathers were highly valuable and exchanged for other valuable goods or given as tokens of friendship and respect. Length 7.6 cm. Width 1.1 cm. Possibly from Kenneth Athol Webster collection,…

A rare Huia tail feather

Rare Huia Feather

A rare Huia tail feather

A good rare Huia bird tail feather, of full size with…

Sacred Huia Feather: Rare and Extinct

A good rare Huia bird tail feather, of full size with traditional white tip and fine down type feathers towards the quill end, dark toned. Length 200. The Huia became extinct in the early 20th century due to rampant overhunting with worldwide demand by…

Huia feather, the huia's feathers were valued highly and…

Valuable Huia Feather: Symbol of Friendship and Trade

Huia feather, the huia's feathers were valued highly and exchanged for other valuable goods such as greenstone and shark teeth, or given as tokens of friendship and respect. Through this trade, the feathers reached the far north and the far south of New…

Pair of rare cased huia, in superb condition with both male and…

Rare Cased Huia Display with Male and Female Birds

Pair of rare cased huia, in superb condition with both male and female huia perched on branches in a square glass display the huia is one of New Zealand's best known extinct birds because of its bill shape, its sheer beauty, and special place in Maori…

A rare taxidermy huia bird, displayed perched on a branch.…

Rare Huia Taxidermy Bird Displayed on Branch

A rare taxidermy huia bird, displayed perched on a branch. Complete with tail feathers, one eye missing. height 22 cm. Length 42 cm

A full huia tail feather, traditional white tip. Length 20.5 cm.…

Huia Tail Feather with White Tip, 20.5 cm Long

A full huia tail feather, traditional white tip. Length 20.5 cm. Provenance: from the same family collection of Maori artefacts sold by Cordys, July 2006

Huia feather rare tail feather from extinct huia. Single huia…

Extinct Huia's Rare Tail Feather

Huia feather rare tail feather from extinct huia. Single huia feathers were highly valuable and exchanged for other valuable goods or given as tokens of friendship and respect. Length 20.1 cm. Width 5 cm

Huia feather rare tail feather from extinct huia. Single huia…

Extinct Huia's Rare Tail Feather

Huia feather rare tail feather from extinct huia. Single huia feathers were highly valuable and exchanged for other valuable goods or given as tokens of friendship and respect. Length 7.6 cm. Width 1.1 cm

Cased huia bird male huia bird in good condition perched on a…

Extinct Huia Bird in Glass Display

Cased huia bird male huia bird in good condition perched on a branch in a glass display. The huia is one of New Zealand 's best known extinct birds because of its bill shape, its sheer beauty, and special place in Maori culture and oral tradition. The…