Home Taxidermy for Pleasure and Profit / A Guide for Those Who Wish to Prepare and Mount Animals, Birds, Fish, Reptiles, etc., for Home, Den, or Office Decoration

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

23259

Title

Home Taxidermy for Pleasure and Profit / A Guide for Those Who Wish to Prepare and Mount Animals, Birds, Fish, Reptiles, etc., for Home, Den, or Office Decoration

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A practical, hands-on guide for hunters, trappers, and nature lovers to preserve and mount animals, birds, fish, and reptiles for home or office decoration. Written by taxidermist Albert B. Farnham, this manual offers time-saving methods, detailed instructions on tools and materials, and advice on creating fur rugs, robes, and scientific mounts. It emphasizes conservation, patience, and the artistic potential of taxidermy as a rewarding hobby.

Summary up to 500 words

Albert B. Farnham's *Home Taxidermy for Pleasure and Profit* serves as a comprehensive manual designed for hunters, trappers, and nature enthusiasts wishing to preserve specimens for personal decoration or commercial sale. Published in 1944, the book bridges the gap between scientific museum preparation and the practical needs of everyday outdoorsmen. Farnham traces the art's history from ancient Egyptian embalming to 16th-century European practices, emphasizing that while early methods focused on superstition, modern taxidermy aims for naturalistic preservation. He argues that the art is accessible to all, noting that women often excel in delicate tasks like bird mounting due to their lightness of touch. The text provides a detailed inventory of necessary tools and workspace, suggesting that even a corner of a dining room with a north-facing window suffices for beginners. Farnham advocates for liquid preservatives to keep specimens relaxed and ready for mounting at the operator's convenience, contrasting this with the dry, brittle nature of traditional scientific skins. The book offers step-by-step instructions for skinning various species, from small birds to large game, and detailed techniques for stuffing, wiring, and posing animals to achieve naturalistic stances. Special chapters address the creation of fur rugs and robes, including repair methods and the use of contrasting linings. A significant portion of the work is dedicated to the business aspects of taxidermy. Farnham discusses legal considerations regarding game laws, strategies for selling mounted specimens, and pricing schedules for different species. He encourages readers to turn their hobby into a profitable enterprise by preserving heads, horns, and skins that might otherwise go to waste, noting that retaining these parts is often more lucrative than selling raw skins alone. The book concludes with advice on marketing, dealing with dealers, and maintaining a conservationist ethic, urging practitioners to avoid thoughtless killing and to utilize all specimens to deter unnecessary hunting. Throughout, the tone is encouraging and practical, aiming to make the art accessible while promoting thoroughness, patience, and a love for nature.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/23259.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg23259.epub

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2026-07-03 16:53 UTC

Categories

• Science
• Nature