Albert Burton Farnham

Albert Burton Farnham was an American taxidermist and practical author whose work focused on preserving animals and working with hides, skins, and fur. Records cited by later researchers place him in Benning, Washington, D.C., and identify him as a volunteer assistant in the Smithsonian’s taxidermy department around 1890. He was also interested in hunting and ornithology and contributed practical observations to periodicals.

His best-known book, Home Taxidermy for Pleasure and Profit, explains how to prepare and mount birds, fish, reptiles, and mammals. He also wrote Home Manufacture of Furs and Skins and Home Tanning and Leather Making Guide, straightforward manuals covering tanning, leather-making, and the preparation of fur and hides.

Farnham’s surviving books present him as an experienced craftsperson who valued patience, careful observation, and practical instruction. Although little personal information about his life is readily available, his manuals remain useful historical records of traditional taxidermy and outdoor handiwork.