Download cleaning a case of Great and Little Bustard, Louth Museum

Case Study: cleaning a case of Great and Little
Bustard, Louth Museum, Lincolnshire
In September 2015, Louth Naturalist’s Antiquarian and Literary Society were awarded an
MDEM Collections Access grant of £310 to commission an experienced taxidermist, William
Hales http://www.williamhalestaxidermist.co.uk/, to dismantle and clean a large display case
containing a Great Bustard (now extinct) and other birds.
The outcomes of the project were to improve visitor access to and enjoyment of the natural
history specimens as their appearance would be considerably better. The specimens would
also be checked for any signs of deterioration and insect damage and any dust, dirt and
mould that would accelerate deterioration would be removed. Overall, the project would
ensure that the birds are preserved for the enjoyment of current and future visitors to Louth
Museum.
William Hales described the work that he undertook…
“This case of Great and Little Bustard is over 100 years old; it came into my workshop for
restoration and had bad mildew which had caused staining of the paintwork.
On removal of the glass it became clear that at some point it had had a moth infestation, I
guess the glass had been broken and not replaced quickly enough. In a case of this age the
taxidermist very often used arsenic to prevent insect damage, so great care is needed when
working with antique taxidermy. All signs of the damage done by the moth were removed
and the delicate bird cleaned. The mildew was treated, followed by making up the correct
colour blue paint to match the original, which was then applied.
Once I was happy I couldn't do any more in the case, the glass was cleaned and polished
and fitted back into the rebate. The beading was now ready to install, any damage to the
surround was repaired and two coats of black paint applied to complete the work. With a
final check and glass polish it was now ready to return to Louth Museum in Lincolnshire.”
William advises museums with a taxidermy collection to leave cleaning to a professional in
order to minimise the potential risks from any arsenic present. Always wear nitrile gloves
when handling taxidermy specimens.