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...

48 items found:

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

A taxidermy spotted eagle owl, standing on a black lacquer oval…

Spotted Eagle Owl Taxidermy on Black Base

A taxidermy spotted eagle owl, standing on a black lacquer oval base, height 32 cm.

A taxidermy adult snowy owl, on a tree stump, in a mahogany…

Snowy Owl Taxidermy in Mahogany Frame

A taxidermy adult snowy owl, on a tree stump, in a mahogany framed case, height 81.5 cm, width 55.5 cm, depth 40 cm. Provenance: Bonhams Sydney, The Owston Collection, 26 June 2010, part of lot 1204

Taxidermied Victorian mopoke owl in glazed display case 53 cm…

Victorian Mopoke Owl Taxidermy Display Case

Taxidermied Victorian mopoke owl in glazed display case 53 cm height

An early taxidermy Tawny Frogmouth owl, standing on a log base

Preserved Tawny Frogmouth Owl on Log Base

An early taxidermy Tawny Frogmouth owl, standing on a log base

A taxidermy barn owl

Barn Owl Taxidermy

A taxidermy barn owl

Antique taxidermy Tawny Frog Mouth Owl on stand

Antique Tawny Frogmouth Owl Taxidermy on Stand

Antique taxidermy Tawny Frog Mouth Owl on stand

Antique taxidermy Boobook owl resting on log

Log-Resting Boobook: Antique Taxidermy Owl

Antique taxidermy Boobook owl resting on log

A European barn owl (Tyto Alba), the taxidermic owl…

European Barn Owl Taxidermy on Log

A European barn owl (Tyto Alba), the taxidermic owl naturalistically posed on a log, height 33.5 cm

A Victorian ornithological / Animalia, diorama, taxidermy,…

Victorian Animal Diorama with Taxidermy Subjects

A Victorian ornithological / Animalia, diorama, taxidermy, figure group, late 19th century, including Owls, Eagles, duck and various taxidermy, subjects housed in glass display case. Height 75 cm. Width 93 cm. Depth 30 cm

A Victorian ornithological / Animalia, diorama, taxidermy,…

Victorian Animal Diorama with Owls and Duck

A Victorian ornithological / Animalia, diorama, taxidermy, figure group, late 19th century, including Owls, duck and various taxidermy subjects, housed in glass display case. Height 72 cm. Width 95 cm. Depth 26 cm

An antique bird diorama in a glass case, 19th to early 20th…

Australian Bird Diorama in Mahogany Glass Case

An antique bird diorama in a glass case, 19th to early 20th century, comprising approximately thirty Australian bird species including a lyrebird pair, frogmouth, various parrots, wading birds and others posed naturalistically upon branches in a mahogany…

Antique taxidermy European owl mounted on a branch

European Owl Taxidermy on Branch

Antique taxidermy European owl mounted on a branch

Antique taxidermy European boobook owl mounted on a branch

European Boobook Owl Taxidermy on Branch

Antique taxidermy European boobook owl mounted on a branch

Antique tawny frogmouth owl specimen mounted on a log

Tawny Frogmouth on Log Mount

Antique tawny frogmouth owl specimen mounted on a log

Antique taxidermy European owl mounted on log

European Owl Taxidermy on Log Base

Antique taxidermy European owl mounted on log

Antique taxidermy Tawny Frogmouth owl 'Prone on a Branch'

Antique Tawny Frogmouth Taxidermy on Branch

Antique taxidermy Tawny Frogmouth owl 'Prone on a Branch'

An antique European barn owl (Tyto Alba), the taxidermic owl…

European Barn Owl Taxidermy on Log

An antique European barn owl (Tyto Alba), the taxidermic owl naturalistically posed on a log. Height 28 cm

An antique bobook owl (Ninox Novaeseelandiae), the small…

Bobook Owl Taxidermy on Log

An antique bobook owl (Ninox Novaeseelandiae), the small taxidermic owl naturalistically posed on a log. Height 48 cm

An antique tawny frogmouth (Podargus Strigoides), the…

Antique Tawny Frogmouth Taxidermy on Log

An antique tawny frogmouth (Podargus Strigoides), the taxidermic specimen naturalistically posed on a log. Height 39.5 cm

Cased taxidermy owl, approx 32 cm high, 20 cm wide, 18 cm deep

Cased Owl Taxidermy: 32x20x18cm

Cased taxidermy owl, approx 32 cm high, 20 cm wide, 18 cm deep

A large taxidermy Eurasian owl, displayed in a rimu framed…

Taxidermy Eurasian Owl in Rimu Cabinet

A large taxidermy Eurasian owl, displayed in a rimu framed glazed cabinet, black painted interior back, moss to the base, the owl perched upon a branch. Height of owl 62 cm. Cabinet dimensions 62 x 36 x 81 cm

A taxidermy barn owl, perched upon a branch section with head…

Majestic Barn Owl Taxidermy on Perch

A taxidermy barn owl, perched upon a branch section with head raised, glass eyes, brown mottled colouring with pale highlights

Rare Frogmouth owl specimen, circa 1950, mounted on stand, 80…

Mounted Rare Frogmouth Owl, 1950

Rare Frogmouth owl specimen, circa 1950, mounted on stand, 80 cm height

A large glass fronted display case containing a fancy…

1918 Taxidermy Bird Collection by W.J. Potter

A large glass fronted display case containing a fancy presentation of taxidermied American birds. Species include barn owl, woodpeckers, California quail, bluejay, crows, ducks and a variety of hummingbirds - approx. 70 individual birds, brass plaque…

Victorian taxidermy diorama C.1880, depicting barn owls, stoats…

Victorian Wildlife Diorama by James Hutchings

Victorian taxidermy diorama C.1880, depicting barn owls, stoats & a rabbit in a naturalistic scene, taxidermist: James Hutchings of Aberystwyth

A taxidermied barn owl, modelled perched upon a branch section…

Barn Owl Perched on Branch: Taxidermy Display

A taxidermied barn owl, modelled perched upon a branch section with glass eyes

Taxidermied barn owl. Fair/Good condition.

Barn Owl Taxidermy - Fair/Good Condition

Taxidermied barn owl. Fair/Good condition.

Taxidermied Southern boobook owl. Fair/Good condition (a little…

Southern Boobook Owl Taxidermy

Taxidermied Southern boobook owl. Fair/Good condition (a little damage to top of right wing).

Taxidermied frog-mouth owl. Fair/Good condition.

Frog-mouth Owl Taxidermy

Taxidermied frog-mouth owl. Fair/Good condition.

A taxidermy model of a white barn owl, 19th century, under…

19th Century Taxidermy Barn Owl Under Glass Dome

A taxidermy model of a white barn owl, 19th century, under glass dome. 2 cm high

An adult male white owl, mounted on a naturalistic perch,…

1920 White Owl Taxidermy

An adult male white owl, mounted on a naturalistic perch, labeled P. Spocan & Sons, Lemmington 1920. In a glass case (damaged), with label to bottom, the Victorian taxidermy Company. Width 36 cm. Depth 34 cm. Height 55 cm

Two tawny frogmouths one on log pile hunting perch with mosses…

Tawny Frogmouths: Hunting and Perching under Glass

Two tawny frogmouths one on log pile hunting perch with mosses and grasses, the other on a hollow log perch, both under glass domes, first. Height 70 cm

Six juvenile owl displays comprising a barn owl chick in case,…

Juvenile Owl Display Collection

Six juvenile owl displays comprising a barn owl chick in case, a snowy owl fledgling under dome, possibly an eagle owl fledgling under dome, a pair of long eared owl chicks under broad dome, and another two owl juveniles of unknown identity, one in five…

A group of five great owls, comprising a snowy owl on rockwork…

Five Majestic Owls in Glass Domes

A group of five great owls, comprising a snowy owl on rockwork perch, a spotted wood owl on truncated perch under glass dome, two cape eagle owls, one on a mossy perch under glass dome, the other with wings outstretched on a gnarled perch, and a great…

Four bird of prey displays, comprising a Eurasian buzzard with…

Birds of Prey Display

Four bird of prey displays, comprising a Eurasian buzzard with leveret prey in its talons, a young peregrine falcon on mossy bark perch, a kestrel and tawny owl both perched on a branch, and an adult gyr falcon on mossy perch, largest 70 cm

A group of six old skeletal displays, including coiled python,…

Six Skeletal Displays: Python, Kangaroo, Flamingo, and More

A group of six old skeletal displays, including coiled python, kangaroo, flamingo, hornbill, barn owl with mouse in its beak under a dome, and rabbit in a mahogany case, python. Height 80 cm

An adult male snowy owl, on a frosty rock perch amid grasses,…

Frosty Perched Snowy Owl in Glass Case

An adult male snowy owl, on a frosty rock perch amid grasses, in an architectural three glass case. Height 77 cm

Two bird displays of an owl and a bird of paradise, comprising…

Mahogany Display Cases: Snowy Owl & Bird of Paradise

Two bird displays of an owl and a bird of paradise, comprising an adult snowy owl on a short mossy perch, and a male Raggiana bird of paradise displaying on a twig perch, both in architectural mahogany three glass cases, 81 cm and. Height 62 cm

A Tasman boobook, probably of the Lord Howe Island race and…

Extinct Tasman Boobook Under Glass Dome

A Tasman boobook, probably of the Lord Howe Island race and therefore extinct, seated on a perch looking to the left, under a glass dome. Height 35 cm

A cape eagle owl, with leveret prey in one talon, standing on a…

Cape Eagle Owl with Leveret Prey on Stump Perch

A cape eagle owl, with leveret prey in one talon, standing on a stump perch amid lichen and moss, in five glass case. Height 67 cm

An educational display of long-eared owls, two adults and two…

Long-Eared Owls Display with Provenance Labels

An educational display of long-eared owls, two adults and two chicks each on separate perch, the adult male with mouse in its beak, all bearing labels with provenance to Ireland and Scotland in 1902 and 1903, in glazed case. Height 56 cm

A display of three albinistic adult scops owls, with varying…

Albinistic Scops Owls Trio under Glass Dome

A display of three albinistic adult scops owls, with varying degrees of albinism, on fern and lichen covered branch perch, under glass dome. Height 55 cm

A great grey owl, standing on a lichen covered stump perch, in…

Grey Owl on Mahogany Perch in Glass Case

A great grey owl, standing on a lichen covered stump perch, in an architectural mahogany three glass case. Height 78 cm

An adult great horned owl, on a stump perch with fungus and…

Great Horned Owl on Stump Perch in Bowfront Case

An adult great horned owl, on a stump perch with fungus and foliage, in a bowfront corner case. Height 80 cm

Four owl displays comprising a northern hawk owl on perch with…

Collection of Four Owl Displays Under Glass

Four owl displays comprising a northern hawk owl on perch with fungus in three glass corner cabinet, a pearl-spotted owlet on perch, a southern white-faced owl on perch under glass dome, and two other small owls under a glass dome, largest 73 cm

Two cased owl displays comprising a group of two barn owls and…

Owl Displays with Barn Owls and Tawny Owl

Two cased owl displays comprising a group of two barn owls and a tawny owl perched on grassy mounds and stump, and a pair of barn owls, one pinning down a finch with its talons, on grassy mound with peacock feathers, both in three glass cases, largest.…

A fine Eurasian eagle owl seated on a branch hunting perch amid…

Eurasian Eagle Owl in Glazed Case

A fine Eurasian eagle owl seated on a branch hunting perch amid deciduous flora, in gilt-lined glazed case. Height 141 cm

A group of owls by H. Ward, comprising an adult short-eared owl…

Owls in Woodland

A group of owls by H. Ward, comprising an adult short-eared owl with open wings, and three little owls, all in a woodland setting of foliage and branches. Height 87 cm