Video tour of Walter Potter's anthropomorphic taxidermy

[video link] Morbid Anatomy's Joanna posted this excellent c.1965 film documenting a visit to the museum of English taxidermist Walter Potter (1835-1918). Sadly, the Potter collection was cannibalized for auction in 2003.

David Pescovitz is Boing Boing's co-editor/managing partner. He's also a research director at Institute for the Future. On Instagram, he's @pesco.

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ncarp

That’s right kids, every time you [__fill in appropriate sin here__], Walter Potter kills a kitten!
http://www.granitegeek.org DaveBrooks

The bassoon* in the background music makes all the difference. More online videos need a background bassoon.

*or maybe oboe
Rich Keller

Yes, “leading people to formulate their own fairy tales in their own words”. Those words being creepy and outre.
scifijazznik

I first came across his work via the sleeve art of a Piano Magic record in the late 90s. Fantastically creepy stuff. Suits the music well.
KBert

Ooh, I love those squirls’ ears.
Gemma

My sister and I were taken to see this collection when it was in the Jamaica Inn in Cornwall. Bear in mind that we were both children and both vegetarian.

Not the best family day out ever.
- http://www.nogunarmy.com/ monstrinho
  
  haha. a very Legue of Gentlemen day out.
http://twitter.com/cocktail_shaker The Mixologist

Taxidermied kittens: he was a sick, sick man. How anyone can think that is cute, or tasteful, is beyond me. I hope he was stuffed in a humorous pose and put on display when he died.
- puzzlingevidence
  
  I think they are completely delightful!
  
  I actually have more than a vague desire to pursue taxidermy as a hobby one day.
Guest

“Walter Potter was famous for his ‘Squirrels Club’. As an artist, he suffered simply because there was no one to compare him with. But see how sensitive he could be, when he took time off from stuffing cherished pets, his bread-and-butter job.”

I saw a lot of suffering (and horror) in that video. The suffering of the artist didn’t occur to me. So misunderstood. (deep sarcasm)

Scooter! Come here, baby, your human needs a hug!
http://twitter.com/marynmck Maryn McKenna

Seriously, even in 1965, no one thought ranks of dead kittens were bizarre?
Melinda9

Good lord – kittens, squirrels, rabbits, cherished pets – did he ever take a break?
llazy8

Wait- do we know where he sourced his kittens from? Did he hunt them and then stuff them like you would with a deer, or did he get euthanized kittens from the pound, which like today, kills and disposes of lots of kittens a year?
- http://www.nogunarmy.com/ monstrinho
  
  i think it was the second option. I remember a little sign at the museum saying that he didn’t kill any of his subjects.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=222303060 Dette Marhez

I think some of the pieces were exhibited in the Museum of Everything Number 3
http://twitter.com/writebastard Ian Wood

I must invite this man to dinner.
http://twitter.com/MarkGrld Mark Goodfellow

Where did he find the tiny bull?
- http://www.nogunarmy.com/ monstrinho
  
  honest answer, he made the form out of wood and cut and shaped skin to fit over it. i can’t remember if he used actual bull/cow skin or not. i saw the exhibition 10 years ago and asked the same question to a guide.
http://www.nogunarmy.com/ monstrinho

i saw this collection in 2001. it was amazing to see and more than a little macabre.
querent

creep-a-zorg.
bwcbwc

Any relation to Beatrix Potter? The forms and poses look eerily similar to her illustrations for Peter Rabbit, etc.

As far as animal cruelty: I would imagine the critters were already dead when he started skinning them and creating the figures. Or are there really that many animists here on Boing-boing?