D Frampton
Taxidermist & Model Maker
Derek Frampton
Derek Frampton is an award winning master taxidermist and model maker. After honing his craft for over 50 years, his work is featured on permanent display in museums and galleries throughout the UK and the world. Based out of Kings Langley, Hertfordshire for many years, Derek has recently moved down to Holsworthy in Devon to continue his work by the coast.
This website showcases some of his work over the years, from a 19ft dragon skeleton model for Harry Potter, to some of the most unusual species of animal ever displayed in museums. Derek's work combines a lifelong passion for nature, with a precise understanding of animal anatomy and an artistic eye for detail.
“When I visited Derek Frampton, he was posing a clouded leopard. I'd never seen a clouded leopard before. She was sitting like a cat, her tail curled round her, gazing at a tiny cub which looked as if it was about to run away and play. They were so realistic I could hardly believe they were stufted. Derek is a taxidermist, one of the best there is. He'd invited me to his house to see how he works.
I'd arranged to visit Derek because he's one of the country's leading experts in his field. I'm interested in experts and I wanted to find out more. Taxidermy is not a science, a craft or an art, Derek told me. It's a practice which combines all three. The science is in the precision, close observation and accuracy which allow his work to be a reference point for scientific research. Zoologists may refer to Derek's specimens for years to come, so the precise details of a mammals colouring, a fish's scales or a reptile's teeth might be crucial in identifying new species or tracking the decline of animal populations. The craft is in the skills Derek has built up throughout his career: his ability to take the skin off an animal, then recreate that specimen's unique shape in plaster or wax. And the art is what brings it all together, making that clouded leopard look as if she's about to stoop down and lick her little cub. It's because he's an expert that Derek can combine these strands, applying them with wisdom and care to each new situation.”
Professor Roger Kneebone, ‘Expert; Understanding the Path to Mastery’
Penguin: Paperback, 2021