[Nhcoll-l] taxidermy reformatting

[Erik Åhlander]

Dear Thomas,

In our collection maybe 1000-2000 bird mounts were removed from the wooden blocks, bent straight (glass eyes removed for reuse) and transferred to the study skin collection. It was probably made twice: about 1915 and 1946. Many historical specimens from the late 18th century to the mid 19th century had limit data, but much later has much information been recaptured from our archives. Be careful to save as much data as possible of labels, markings, block type, perch style etc. It will make sense when you try to reconstruct collecting data! Also, with only a wing and a leg you will lose a lot of information. Be extra careful with the dodos... and other species you plan will be extinct.

Good luck


Erik Åhlander
vertebrate zoology and museum history

ZOO
Swedish Museum of Natural History
PO Box 50007
SE-10405 Stockholm
Sweden
+46 0 8 5195 4118
+46 0 70 225 2716
erik.ahlander at nrm.se


Från: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> För Thomas Labedz
Skickat: den 17 juni 2021 15:44
Till: NHCOLL-L at mailman.yale.edu
Ämne: [Nhcoll-l] taxidermy reformatting

Greetings from the very warm portions of central North America.
I am inquiring if anyone has "reformatted" old taxidermy mounts (primarily bird but mammals too) into more compact specimens? I am faced with decreasing usable space for research-quality, study skin specimens. The largest available space within our collections is occupied by old taxidermy (estimated 500-600 pieces). These date from the mid-1800s to about 1940, are strongly suspected to contain arsenic (not all tested but those tested are positive) and have data content ranging from near zero to published documentation. Being broken, dirty, poorly done, etc. nearly all are not worthy of exhibit but are accessioned and owned by the museum. It is proposed that with care and precautions we document with photographs, carefully remove at least one wing and feet (areas most likely to have tissues for sampling) to be bagged with the tags and labels into the research collections. The remainder of each specimen to be deaccessioned and disposed through our campus hazardous materials program. Does anyone have experience with this? Problems encountered? Other tissues to save (head)? With smaller pieces I have had some success with relaxation in a humidity chamber (wet sand in a plastic tub) and careful repositioning from a life pose to a study skin pose, but the volume and size of the remainder preclude that being a viable alternative. Any advice welcome. Thank you.
And, this happens to be the week of our museum's 150th anniversary. Here is a link to a press release if you have a few minutes. https://news.unl.edu/newsrooms/today/article/nebraska-celebrates-impacts-of-nu-state-museum/<https://url11.mailanyone.net/v1/?m=1ltsJH-0003nR-5G&i=57e1b682&c=IbpjTTaxHyQFOovApSLtye4J1GvjPvT3aQIA6lZ1Fo9L96Fb3zAaN-mrbEOEsT6CFVvimgoMMdFbEF8xNKWNhR522T_IwdJnU-nnK0wZOcCuessxiGikAWMkXoyKTx9VCn8ERbrvlJOiH7Lh_Db5YyV2A-wVxmd37e3kWRl4O9cZSIrVFUHWXe15sSB_KIKTZ7HDzdxsAzBhDNjsU4wJS1C6kchmpSHjLXSZHQ5lccWq3ESC_zcKUFdu7EdKBGJZf62LRuJAqZ5ASE3rQO8LN-IU069m04dUYc5Zt46WFN9ygvqUCewF3bWk7hqPyqsF>
Thomas

Thomas Labedz, Collections Manager

Division of Zoology and Division of Botany

University of Nebraska State Museum

University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.A.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20210617/aec05185/attachment.html>