NATURAL HISTORY SPECIMENS
Caz Oliver displays vintage skulls and antlers in her home. The specialist dealer tells us why she loves these pieces and shares her advice…
Where does your love of natural history specimens stem from?
When I was about !ve or six, I used to go on long walks with my dad. I’d ! ll the basket on my tricycle with bird’s eggs and twigs – things for my mum to display on our ‘nature table’.
I started decorating my home with natural history specimens about 10 years ago. The ! rst item I bought was a pair of antlers on eBay. For me, using these items harks back to how I imagine someone living in Palaeolithic times – and how they’d have decorated their cave or hut. Decorating with them means that you’re honouring the life of the animal and ensuring that no part of it is wasted – that’s how I see it.
Where do you buy from?
Because I’m an ecologist, and I also have a love of mid- century furniture, I tend to only buy vintage and antique pieces. I try to limit my plastic consumption and waste. I’ve always visited fairs – perhaps because, when I was young, my family used to sell vintage clothing on Portobello Road.
When buying, how do you ensure that specimens are antique or vintage?
I can normally tell just by looking at something. Pay a"ention to the condition – if it’s pristine, or if the mount doesn’t have any holes in, it’s probably new. I also buy from people who I trust – if in doubt, make sure you go to a reputable seller. If you’re buying on eBay, ask the seller questions. There’s a great deal of taxidermy out there that’s illegal, so make yourself aware of the legislation and laws. It’s quite involved.
What draws you to certain items?
I love unusual pieces. An animal positioned in a stance that I don’t o#en come across, for example. When it comes to skulls, I’m drawn to large pieces. Cow skulls are really interesting because they’re huge. I have one that is really old, gnarly and weathered with holes in it. It’s so tactile. I ! nd anything old and weathered really beautiful.
What can we expect to pay?
One of our bestsellers are the small roe deer antlers – they’re about 20cm. This is a good entry point as they only cost about £ 20. A huge pair of antlers with lots of points can sell for £ 150-£ 250.
To keep abreast of recent laws surrounding natural history, visit taxidermylaw.co.uk