While techniques and materials used in taxidermy have changed over time, the major challenge faced in preserving this type of object remain. The object is left in this enclosure and monitored for approximately three weeks before being removed. Air is evacuated from the bubble by creating a vacuum, then replaced with carbon dioxide. This process uses carbon dioxide gas to displace oxygen within a sealed enclosure, lowering the percentage of oxygen to a level sufficient to kill all stages of the insect life cycle. Instead, we chose to fumigate the screen using a technique involving a carbon dioxide gas bubble. The antique glass sides of the cabinet gave us pause, as they could become embrittled in the freezer, necessitating a different solution. While freezing can be an effective tool in pest management, this approach is not always possible, as some materials may be damaged by exposure to low temperatures.Įxamination of the fire screen during the acquisition process showed evidence of insect activity, however, due to some of its components, it was not a suitable candidate for freezing. As a precaution, the preserved crow and starling spent a week in our freezer before their display. The sustained low temperatures eradicate all stages of the insect life cycle: adults, larvae and eggs.Īs the artist’s birds were not isolated in a display but were exhibited in the open, they posed a risk if insects were present. The possibility of insect infestation through objects entering our collections has necessitated a policy of prevention, requiring the placement of most incoming objects into a large commercial freezer. The mixture was highly successful in mitigating insect infestation, and was adopted as the standard treatment for taxidermied skins from this point forward, although its toxicity prevented it from being used exclusively, and some taxidermists chose to forego its use (Farber, 553). It was not until the late 18 th century that apothecary and naturalist Jean-Baptiste Bécoeur formulated a secret recipe that, after his death, was revealed to contain arsenic. While these mixtures preserved the skin, they remained prone to insect damage. The alcohol damaged the feathers, salt and alum hastened the disintegration of the specimen, and the exposure to heat caused deterioration of the feathers.įurther attempts at preserving the skins involved the application of a varnish containing a mixture of raw turpentine, camphor, and spirit of turpentine or a dry compound made from mercuric chloride, saltpetre, alum, sulphur, musk, pepper and ground tobacco. Later methods involved placing the prepared skins in a warm oven.Īlthough these methods prevented the flesh from rotting, they did nothing to deter insects, and unfortunately caused other problems. Birds were placed in glass jars or wooden barrels filled with brandy, or embalmed with aromatic spices or a drying agent such as alum or lime.
Bird bell jar skin#
While we find their plumage visually alluring, the feathers and skin can prove irresistible to some voracious insects.įrom the earliest days of taxidermy, attempts at preserving birds, while also preventing such infestation employed several techniques. Insects pose a threat to the preservation of this type of object. Photographic Services and Copyright – FAQ.Citizen Workshop: Looking after our stories.Natu-natshishkueu: The Adventure of Connection.Special Indigenous cultures programming.
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