Today's Orange County Register has an article about the lost art of taxidermy (pictured to the left is a practitioner and one of his subjects).
My memories of visiting my grandfather's house as a young girl are filled with dead, stuffed animals, particularly birds. My grandpa was an avid duck hunter, and for some odd reason, liked to decorate the house with lots of stuffed birds. The one that stands out most vividly to me was hung from the ceiling, right by the front door, so that it would move with the breeze. It was a stuffed hawk, clutching in its talons a dead, baby rabbit. The added touch that sent it over the top? Red nail polish on the talons to simulate the poor dead bunny's blood. (Million Dollar Red would be my best guess). I do believe that at some point, gramp's collection was donated to a natural history exhibit at UC Irvine, though I have never checked out that bit of the family lore. Perhaps if I ever snare that rascally rat that is haunting me, I'll have it stuffed as a warning to other varmints . . . red nail polish, optional.
posted by Diane at 2:42 PM
11 Comments:
You've reminded me of something--I will have to write about my experience in a taxidermy class--it was one of the worst experiences in my life. But I have to laugh, looking back at it.
One of my employees' husband shot a large buck this year and is having it mounted. For the last month I've been hearing her complain about the waste of 500 bucks for a head that she doesn't want in her house. I assured her that she really wouldn't want 500 bucks...
Diane - Did that bird clutching the baby rabbit give you nightmares? That would have been too much for me.
So the rat is still around? Any "discovery" of "evidence" lately? (bad law joke, sorry)
sage - ha ha! that it is alot of money for something to gather dust . . .
la - although it did look like it belonged at the Bates Motel, I don't recall nightmares . . . last week I found droppings in the corner of the second bedroom behind some stuff, so moved the electronic rat trap there, but not much activity (nor any zapped rat) lately . . .
My ex and I used to have a lab/dalmation who was very barky and old. We used to joke that when she died, we were going to have her stuffed, then put a motion detector in her so everytime someone walked past, she would bark.
The idea of taxidermy has always bothered me. When I look at anything stuffed I tend to day dream or have nightmares about them coming to life. About 3 miles from my house is a Taxidermy "artist," and though I find it bizarre, there are always automobiles outside his shop. I say creepiness!
Oooohh... No. No stuffed dead animals for me. ~shudder~
el Hombre says he wants to be stuffed and set on the couch after he dies with the remote control placed in his hands. Do you think that would hurt my chances of remarrying?
The only animal I want stuffed is my Thanksgiving turkey!!
Yeah, I too don't really understand taxidermy.
Hmm, electronic rat trap you say? Sorry to be curious but does this trap stun the rat to unconsciousness for later removal or is it more like the electric chair?
Well, if you do have a rat problem, I hope you solve it quickly.
are you kidding me? birds freak me out when they're alive. like i need a dead stuffed one hanging around.
v - you can read about my fancy, schmancy rat trap here
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