Vintage Animal Mount
These vintage animal mount examples range from taxidermy trophies to bronze studies and carved horns, offering character and history for your interior.
Vintage Animal Mount
When you search for vintage animal mount, you encounter a diverse collection of taxidermy trophies, bronze animal studies, carved horns, and sculptural representations spanning from the Victorian era through the mid-twentieth century. The selection includes actual taxidermy specimens like otter masks and buffalo trophies alongside artistic interpretations in silver, porcelain, bronze, and carved whalebone.
You are most likely to meet pieces originating from the nineteenth century, the Edwardian period, and the Art Deco era of the 1920s and 1930s. These items range from traditional natural history mounts mounted on wooden shields to decorative walking sticks, folk art deer, and framed artwork depicting animals.
Materials and construction
The physical construction of these pieces relies on traditional craftsmanship involving organic and metal materials such as wood, horn, glass, silver, bronze, brass, and oak. Taxidermy mounts utilise preserved animal hides and horns fixed to wooden shields or bases, whilst metal sculptures employ bronze casting and cold painting techniques.
Artistic depictions incorporate carved whalebone, painted folk art wood, porcelain, and detailed charcoal or printed paper works. Each material dictates the handling and preservation required for the specific object type, whether it is a taxidermy trophy head or an ebony plinth with a silver mount.
Vintage Animal Mount Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for vintage animal mount among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Listings feature items spanning from the nineteenth century through the 1930s, utilising materials such as glass, horn, silver, bronze, and oak.
Factors determining quality
Quality in these items is determined by the fidelity of the sculptural form, the reputation of the original taxidermist or maker, and the preservation of organic materials over time. Works produced by established workshops exhibit superior anatomical accuracy and finer detailing in taxidermy preparation or metal casting.
The integrity of the mounting materials, whether polished oak, green onyx, or black ebony, also contributes to the overall standard. Superior pieces maintain their original finish and structural stability without compromising the integrity of the hair, horn, or bronze surface.
Peter Spicer and Sons·Edward Gerrard and Sons
The Vintage Animal Mount Glossary
- Taxidermy Mount
- The art of preserving and displaying an animal's skin, head, or horns for study or decoration. These specimens often appear mounted on wooden shields as trophies.
- Cold Painted Bronze
- A method where bronze sculptures are painted with oil-based paints that are not subjected to high kiln temperatures. This technique was popular for small animal studies during the early twentieth century.
- Faux Taxidermy
- An artificial reproduction of an animal mount created as a prop or decorative object using alternative materials. These items provide the visual impact of traditional taxidermy without using real animal remains.
- Whalebone
- Material harvested from baleen whales and utilised historically for scrimshaw and carving by indigenous and maritime communities. Whalebone statues represent a distinct category of nineteenth-century organic sculpture.
Vintage Animal Mount: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I clean a taxidermy mount?
Dust taxidermy mounts gently using a soft brush or a low-power hair dryer on a cool setting. Avoid using water or chemical cleaners on the hair and skin.
Keep mounts out of direct sunlight and away from damp areas to preserve the natural condition of the hide and backing materials.
What is cold painted bronze?
Cold painted bronze refers to bronze figures decorated with unheated oil paint, a technique widely used in Austria during the early twentieth century. This method produces vibrant surface colours on small animal studies.
Care for these pieces by dusting lightly with a dry cloth, as moisture can damage the applied paint layers.
How are horns and antlers mounted?
Horns and antlers are typically secured to wooden shields or wall mounts using internal metal brackets or direct screwing through the skull bone plate. This provides stable support for heavy specimens like buffalo or ram horns.
Ensure wall fixings are secured into solid masonry or stud work to safely bear the weight of larger trophies.
How do I date an animal mount?
Dating relies on stylistic clues, mounting materials, taxidermy techniques, and maker marks or plaques attached to the wooden bases. Victorian and Edwardian pieces often feature heavier oak shields and specific taxidermy stitching methods.
Compare the style of the base or associated hardware with known production periods of the early twentieth century to narrow down the decade.