As we continue our inventory of the collections here at the Sooke Region Museum, we have encountered some peculiar donations which have come in over the years.
Taxidermy may have a taboo reputation in the region among some, however, when we hosted a taxidermy workshop last year, the interest was staggering. Many examples of taxidermy exist in our collection, thanks to those who sought to preserve, study, or just appreciate certain species.
A notable example is the pair of large “diorama” pictures that were hung in the Bryant home on Grant Rd in the 1950’s (1985.069.001-002). Each diorama features two taxidermy ptarmigans in a wooden frame. Centered behind the birds is an oval painted backdrop. What may not be seen at first, is that the oval extends backward, beyond the frame, providing room for the birds to be mounted. The birds are mounted on a wooden strip running along the bottom of the oval “bulb” structure. With the birds being three-dimensional, and the rest of the picture appearing to have a two-dimensional backdrop, the birds stand out and look quite lively.
Sam Whittaker, who was married to Christina Irvine, the first teacher at Sooke’s first school in 1870, made impressive work on the taxidermy of the birds. Gladys Shrapnel painted the backdrops depicting a dreamy sunset scene of a distant farmhouse with foliage, or a forest in another. It is rumoured that Gladys was the daughter of the fellow who invented shrapnel, so the story goes…
A necklace made of human hair (1977.114.002), which can be found in our Dress display, is not a common accessory today, but in the Georgian era, it was all the rage. This piece of hair jewelry came from Scotland to Canada circa 1800 – 1830 with the donor’s ancestors. It was received by mail at the Museum the year it opened in 1977. The necklace is made of blonde hair. Five strands are woven together to form a net-like open mesh tube with a thin brown cord inside to keep it from stretching. Two metal, possibly brass, bands divide the length of the necklace in thirds. A fastener is made up of the same metal. To it is attached an intricate three-part pendant, consisting of three wooden beads, one oval and two round. The beads are covered with hair, which is wound through a hole in the middle and back over the outside of bead. A thin delicate cord of braided hair fastens the two round beads to the oval one.
Another intriguing artifact we have in our artifact storage is a whale’s eardrum (1978.055.043a-c), found on a beach near Coal Creek (Kirby Creek) by W.J. Shannon in the 1930’s. Made of dense, yellowed bone, the artifact is seashell-shaped, with a smooth texture inside and a rougher texture over the outside. Its length overall is approximately 12.7cm by 8cm wide and 7.2cm high.
