2010’s Dinner For Shmucks introduced us all to the wonder of “mouseterpieces”, recreations of famous artworks using taxidermy mice. Now, it seems that not only is the practice of mounting rodents real, for one man it’s a flourishing business.

For over thirty years, Rick Nadeau of Mitchell, Illinois, has been professionally practising taxidermy. About six years ago, while in a rough patch financially, Nadeau began carving his own unique niche in the industry; custom-made squirrel mounts.

This new art form sees him mounting squirrels in interesting positions, sporting hand-stitched clothes and tiny accessories. This is from his site, www.thesquirrelshole.com,

I can mount any squirrel in just about any position or style you would like, just let me know what you may be interested in. I purchase vintage items such as clothing, weapons, hats, instruments, and just about anything you would like to have mounted.

His work has received a fair amount of fanfare and support, and he’s shipped mounts to locations across the globe including Japan, Norway and Iceland. Going for between $75 and $90 for a chest mount and $155 to $165 a full-body mount, he’s crafted squirrels to look like everything from poker-players, to gun-toting cowboys and mystical banjo players.

Apart from the obvious appeal of having a stuffed rodent mounted on your wall, Nadeau says that most other taxidermists completely avoid animals as small as squirrels, which makes his work even more sought after.

Personally I’d go for the full-size business card-holder, it’s the perfect way to make a statement about yourself without being too blatant about it. Have a gander at the pics and see what blows your hair back.

[Source: Field & Stream]