Natural history is the study of plants, animals, minerals and fossils in their natural settings, and in the antiques world it refers to the specimens, illustrations, instruments and furniture associated with that pursuit. The field includes taxidermy, butterfly and beetle collections, shells, eggs, fossils, minerals, herbaria, botanical and zoological prints, microscopes and specimen cabinets.
Collecting the natural world has a long history, from the cabinets of curiosities of seventeenth-century princes and scholars to the systematic collections built up during the Enlightenment. In Britain, natural history became a popular passion in the Victorian era, fuelled by exploration, scientific debate following Charles Darwin and a widespread enthusiasm for ferns, seaweeds, shells and birds. Country houses, vicarages and schools assembled cases of mounted animals and drawers of labelled specimens. Today collectors value good original labels, documented collections, fine preparation and makers' names, and they look closely at condition, fading and pest damage. Buyers should also be aware that many species are protected, and trade in items such as ivory, certain shells and some taxidermy is restricted by law, so documentation is important. Natural history objects create a richly textured, scholarly look in libraries, studies and cabinets of curiosities.
