Ideal humidity percentage for African mounts...

[Nosler guy]

Wondering what the ideal humidity would be for a trophy room or area where African mounts are being displayed?
Haven't been able to find much info on this, hoping some of the more experienced taxidermy / hunter guys might have some input...
Thanks for any info.

 

[harden]

Not so much the number it's the changes, Increase humidity the leather absorbs moisture in the air and swells, then lowers and dries and shrinks. The expansion and contraction moves the skin each time producing cracks that will break down leather fibers, pull them apart, EVEN Glued skin will move slightly you can't see it but it moves, the glue will help the fibers bond to each other better as mother nature breaks down the skin. Taxidermy will not last forever. Find a 50-80 year old leather coat or anything and you will see mother nature wants everything back in the earth. My opinion is 40 % what I recommend to try to keep. Have a client that made a room with just that in mind, and 15 years mounts are as good as the day they were put up. PERFECT.

 

[mark-hunter]

We all want our trophies to be "forever".

But, realistically, what is their life expectancy, provided they are kept in relatively good, dry (air conditioned) space?

Is there any possible periodic maintenance, chemical treatment or similar to extend their time?

 

[harden]

Keep clean of dust and dirt. anything that attracts dirt, aerosol spray room freshener, No one windows ever to be bug infestation out. Don't bounce around to different taxidermist something mount here and something there...some use processes that ATTRACT BUGS. Mount Medic once every year or two. 2 times a year bug bomb the room with a non residue fogger. No sunlight is best any windows UV film them all mounts will fade as will the finish airbrushing. Mounts will last your lifetime , not forever. nowadays mounts should last 50-100 years but will deteriorate throughout that time, Maintenance WILL slow that down a lot.

 

[Nosler guy]

Not so much the number it's the changes, Increase humidity the leather absorbs moisture in the air and swells, then lowers and dries and shrinks. The expansion and contraction moves the skin each time producing cracks that will break down leather fibers, pull them apart, EVEN Glued skin will move slightly you can't see it but it moves, the glue will help the fibers bond to each other better as mother nature breaks down the skin. Taxidermy will not last forever. Find a 50-80 year old leather coat or anything and you will see mother nature wants everything back in the earth. My opinion is 40 % what I recommend to try to keep. Have a client that made a room with just that in mind, and 15 years mounts are as good as the day they were put up. PERFECT.

Thanks for the info Mr, Harris - much appreciatted

 

[JES Adventures]

I posted this thread last year which has a few ccomments.

https://www.africahunting.com/threa...nditions-for-a-trophy-room.36460/#post-342295