Taxidermy Golden Plover

Untreated taxidermy Golden Plover bird on natural peat brick mount beside scale. The bird is leaning heavily to its left and features a gap in the throat, where stuffing is visible.

Identification

  • Object Type: Natural History Specimen
  • Date: Pre 1970s
  • Origin: Unknown, presumed local
  • Owner: University Teaching Collection
  • Maker: Unknown, donated by an anonymous student in 1998
  • Measurements: 
    • Length (tail to beak): 23.6 cm
    • Height of leg: 8 cm 
    • Width of body: 9 cm 
    • Width of head: 3.4 cm 
    • Weight with base: 164.24 grams 
  • Materials: Natural, organic bird feathers and arsenic soap-treated skins, steel wire with jute tow fibre stuffing, original bone legs and beak, glass eyes, and peat-like block base with composite decoration

Summary

Taxidermy bird of the Golden Plover species in non-breeding, winter plumage. Likely from the local northern United Kingdom area. Pre-1970s natural history specimen contains traces of arsenic originating from the arsenic soap treatment used to preserve animal skins.

Behind the Scenes

Untreated taxidermy Golden Plover bird on natural peat brick mount beside scale. The bird is leaning heavily to its left and features a gap in the throat, where stuffing is visible.
Object prior to conservation treatment.
Taxidermy plover undergoing treatment. Areas of feather loss have been retouched with painted feathers. There is an assortment of brown and white-coloured acrylic paint tubes beside the plover, and in the foreground, there are two ceramic tiles that have been used for mixing the correct colour paint on.
Areas of feather loss being retouched with painted feathers.

The conservator who treated this object is Erin, click on the profile to learn more.

Note: All images were taken by the conservator unless stated otherwise. 

Erin, a white woman in her early twenties with long brown hair and glasses. She is looking to her right with a cheerful expression and wearing a light knitted jumper. The photo is in black and white.

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Phrenology Collection

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