Widow discovers late husband’s secret taxidermy collection worth thousands

By Bradley Stokes via SWNS

A widow was stunned to discover her late husband's bizarre secret collection of taxidermy in the attic, dating back 162 years, which could now fetch around $14,000 at auction.

Julie Gittoes, 62, had no idea her partner Kevin had hidden the hoard of dozens of cased animals in their attic until she needed the loft boarding over last year.

Workmen alerted her to a large number of boxes and she was left gobsmacked when she opened them to find the extraordinary Victorian and Edwardian collection.

It included a lion’s head with real teeth circa 1920, a Conger eel, otter, white rabbit, badger, fox, plains zebra and hartebeest, a type of African antelope.

Among the peculiar finds was a large glass display case featuring a puppy dog, a pair of red squirrels and a green woodpecker dating back to the 1860s.

There was also a multitude of fish and birds including an albino blackbird, moorhens, herons, lapwing, curlew, Long-Eared owls, pike and perch.

Auctioneers say it's one of the "most unusual private collections" they have ever come across ahead of it going under the hammer later this month.

The items will by sold by Hansons Auctioneers at Bishton Hall, England, where they are expected to fetch in excess of £10,000 ($14,000) on February 28.

Julie, 62, from Blakedown, England, said: “I was never allowed into the loft but, after I lost Kevin, I needed some work done in the attic.

"The workman said to me, ‘Did you know there are a lot of boxes up there?’ I found 12 pieces of taxidermy I had no idea about.

"I’m amazed Kevin managed to squirrel them away without me knowing.”

Julie and Kevin Gittoes (Hansons via SWNS)

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Julie has since learned that their son James had helped his dad to move the items into the loft so she wouldn't find them.

She was aware of Kevin's interest in taxidermy but had no idea how vast his collection was and went on to find an extra 150 pieces tucked away in their garage.

Julie added: “The garage was Kevin’s domain and I didn’t go in there much.

“I knew he had some more taxidermy in there but I never realized the extent of it. They were stacked one behind another on deep shelves.

"I think he felt a bit guilty about buying so many pieces so he didn’t tell me.”

Kevin, who worked as an engineering manager for the Mirror Group, collected taxidermy for more than 30 years.

But in retirement, he got a part-time job at an auction house – something he loved, according to Julie, and the perfect place to source taxidermy.

She said: “When I met Kevin 32 years ago, he had a couple of pieces.

"Though it was never my thing I never stopped him displaying them in the house. I just limited it a bit. I never begrudged him doing it.

"Our 1926 bungalow has a large hall so they were mainly displayed there. We had some in the lounge, too, including a badger which I’m keeping.

"He’s part of the family now. Kevin had him when I met him.

“He was very proud of his collection. That’s one of the reasons why I’ve decided to sell it at auction.

"I want to pay tribute to Kevin and share something that was really important to him.

“I know some people think taxidermy is a bit strange but Kevin was fascinated by it.

“He always loved country pursuits. When our daughter, Esther, was small and had sleepovers, some of her friends were terrified when they walked into the hall.

"Esther did a school project on taxidermy when she was 10. The teacher must have thought we were a bid odd.

“I used to feel a little bit embarrassed when people went into the hall but most people were fascinated by the collection, even the medics who came to look after Kevin when he was ill.

"It makes me smile now to think of Kevin smuggling those pieces into the loft. I found out his son, James, helped him lift them in.

"The time feels right to part with them now but I am not letting everything go. As well as the badger, I am keeping a few birds.”

Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons, said: “Kevin’s collection is quite extraordinary with examples dating back to the 1860s.

"Some people may find it a little bizarre but you have to put taxidermy into its historical context.

"In Edwardian and Victorian times people had a deep fascination with natural history, just as we do today.

"However, they couldn’t switch on the TV to watch nature programs or tune into the latest series from Sir David Attenborough.

“Consequently, taxidermy became popular in the 19th century, particularly among the middle and upper classes who used it for educational purposes.

"It was regarded as an art form. Some of the species had died naturally while others would have been trapped or shot.

"But you must remember that death was part of life in Victorian times. In 1850 people rarely lived much beyond 40.

“We’re deeply aware of the sensitivity around taxidermy and have taken extreme care to catalog this collection carefully respecting the complex regulations surrounding the sale of animal-related items.

“But we accept and recognize that taxidermy is part of Britain’s history and heritage.

"Kevin’s interest in it fascinated him for decades and led him to acquire one of the most unusual private collections I have ever come across.

"Now the finds he made over the course of decades look set to interest future
generations for years to come.”

Kevin passed away at the age of 69 in August last year. His life was taken by sarcoma, a type of cancer that starts in tissues like bone or muscle.

A donation from the proceeds of the sale of his collection will go to Sarcoma UK.