Dr. Seuss Unorthodox Taxidermy Sculptures
When you think of Dr. Seuss, do you imagine whimsical landscapes and unique animals such as the Cat in the Hat, Horton and the Whos, or the Lorax that speaks for the trees? These characters are only a minute example of the wide world of Dr. Seuss, created by American author Ted Geisel. While cultivating his career as a beloved children’s author, Geisel turned to fine art as an outlet to further expand his world. As a result, stemming from a life-long fascination with exotic animals, he created the collection of Unorthodox Taxidermy sculptures.
Art Leaders Gallery is the premier Dr.Seuss gallery and holds the largest collection of Unorthodox Taxidermy for sale. Our collection includes the new Cruel Hack-Biter and The Seasick Walrus, as well as the rare Sea Going Dilemma Fish, Andulovian Grackler, and the archived Tufted Gustard.
The Unorthodox Taxidermy Sculptures bring Dr. Seuss’ characters to life
“The lions and tigers and that kind of stuff they have up here now are not quite good enough.
You see things like these in just any old zoo. They’re awfully old-fashioned. I want something new!”
If I Ran the Zoo by Dr. Seuss (1967)
As a child, Dr.Seuss spent many days admiring and sketching the many residents of the Springfield Zoo where his father worked. This was the spark that ignited the creation of fantastically nonsensical creatures that were far from “awfully old-fashioned”.
His father would later become superintendent of the zoo and simultaneously serve as an accomplice to Geisel’s creativity. To clarify, his father would send Ted horns, antlers, and other various parts of the zoo animals that passed on so that he could add a realistic element to his bizarre animal sculptures.
The term “Unorthodox Taxidermy” was used for this Seussian collection because, unlike the traditional taxidermy where the full animal skin is used, Dr Seuss only used pieces to bring his characters to life. While some sculptures like Goo-Goo-Eyed Tasmanian Wolghast and Anthony Drexel Goldfarb used real animal elements, others were built with everyday objects. For example, the hair of the Tufted Gustard was an old shaving brush.
As Rare as a Two-Horned Drouberhannis
Starting with the Blue-Green Abelard in 1999, the Collection of Unorthodox Taxidermy became available for the first time. With the help of Seuss’ wife Audrey Geisel, The Dr. Seuss estate was able to identify and publish a 17-piece collection of uniquely Seussian creatures.
Like his Midnight Paintings, Dr.Seuss never sold his unique taxidermy sculptures. In fact, he would gift them to friends and family. Consequently, the true number of sculptures in the collection are unknown. In 2019, The Art of Dr. Seuss found some previously undiscovered taxidermy sculptures, bringing the available collection to nineteen.
As the premier Dr. Seuss gallery, Art Leaders Gallery holds the largest collection of available Unorthodox Taxidermy sculptures. We have the newest sculptures as well as the rare Andulovian Grackler and Tufted Gustard.
Please contact the gallery with any questions on this unique piece of history! Likewise, our West Bloomfield, Michigan gallery is free and open to the public Monday through Saturday 10am to 6pm EST if you want to see the creatures in person.
Dr. Seuss’ Zoo
Below is a list of the available Unorthodox Taxidermy Sculptures by Dr. Seuss:
- Tufted Gustard
- Two Horned Drouberhannis
- Flaming Herring
- Gimlet Fish
- Sludge Tarpon
- Goo-Goo-Eyed Tasmanian Wolghast
- Kangaroo Bird
- Mulberry Street Unicorn
- Powerless Puffer
- Cruel Hack Biter
- Saw Fish
- Sea Going Dilemma Fish
- Anthony Drexel Goldfarb
- The Seasick Walrus
- Carbonic Walrus
- Turtle-Necked Sea Turtle
- Andulovian Grackler
(248) 539 0262 | info@artleaders.com
If you are interested in acquiring a Unorthodox Taxidermy Sculpture or have questions, please contact the gallery!
