Rare Victorian Taxidermy Specimen of a Two-Headed Ayrshire Bull Calf
A Rare Victorian Taxidermy Specimen of a Two-Headed Ayrshire Bull Calf
A brass label attached reading ‘Mine’s A Double’
19th Century
Size: 28cm high, 28cm wide, 23cm deep - 11 ins high, 11 ins wide, 9 ins deep
A brass label attached reading ‘Mine’s A Double’
19th Century
Size: 28cm high, 28cm wide, 23cm deep - 11 ins high, 11 ins wide, 9 ins deep
Natural curiosities were very popular with the Victorians and genuine grotesque mutations of domestic animals occurred more frequently in the 19th century due to inbreeding and a restricted gene pool for prize stock. Few of the animals survived for very long after birth, but some, like this calf, lived for a few weeks or months. Walter Potter had a startling variety of freaks in his Bramber village museum with multi-legged creatures being a speciality of his. Local people would bring him specimens and Potter would accept them, taxidermy and display them in order that he would be offered more!
Rare Victorian Taxidermy Specimen of a Two-Headed Ayrshire Bull Calf
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