The History of Taxidermy: Clues for Preservation

Abstract

Taxidermy is a general term describing the different methods of skinning and preserving vertebrate skins by stuffing or mounting them over an artificial armature. Using old taxidermy handbooks and documents, we can follow the history of taxidermy, the evolution of tanning recipes, and stuffing/mounting techniques over three centuries. In addition, when all the historical preservation information is collected, it can give us some clues toward understanding the current conservation status of this type of collection.