Craw Collection

River Fishes (coloured engraving)
5202616 River Fishes (coloured engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: River Fishes)

Monstrous Craws at a New Coalition Feast, published by S. W
NCO189767 Monstrous Craws at a New Coalition Feast, published by S.W. Fores in 1787 (etching with aquatint) by Gillray, James (1757-1815); Courtesy of the Warden and Scholars of New College

Marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus) with a full crop, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, East Africa, Africa

Detail of crayfish with head and claws. Smaland region. Sweden, Europe

Big heap of traditional Swedish crayfish and dill on a plate against a nature background. Smaland region. Sweden, Europe

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Monstrous Craws take center stage at the New Coalition Feast of 1787, as depicted in this intricately hand-colored engraving. Though these craws may resemble their smaller riverfish counterparts, their monstrous size sets them apart. Fast forward to the late 1800s, and craws were still a source of fascination, showcased alongside Marabou storks with full crops in African catalogues. In Europe, specifically Sweden, craws were a delicacy, as seen in this lithograph from a 1895 Ironmongery and Hardware Trades catalogue. The detail of a Swedish crayfish with its head and claws reveals their unique beauty, while a plate piled high with traditional Swedish crayfish and dill celebrates their culinary importance. From the monstrous to the mundane, craws have captivated our imaginations and palates for centuries.