The Harpur-Crewe taxidermy collection at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire: some zoological and financial insights

Sir Vauncey Harpur-Crewe (1846–1924) assembled at Calke Abbey the largest natural history collection ever seen in an English country house, including many hundreds of taxidermy items. Much of the collection was sold after his death, but the remnants still dominate his former home and include many significant specimens. A rich, but incomplete, archive exists which remains largely unexplored. It includes many rare taxidermist’s documents and enables an assessment to be made of the cost of taxidermy. Evidence is given that purchasing specimens was given priority over the cost of employing domestic staff, amplifying Sir Vauncey’s reputation for eccentricity. It also makes possible an estimate of the total expenditure on taxidermy and other natural history items, probably a significant factor in the economic decline of the whole Calke estate which eventually led to its acquisition by the National Trust.