16th Apr, 2025 10:30 GMT/BST
Natural History & Taxidermy
1
Taxidermy: A Late Victorian Oval Wall Domed Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus), circa 1880-1900, a full-mount adult male, perched upon a small branch above ferns and grasses, set against a pale-blue painted back drop, enclosed within an oval wall hanging domed glass display case with ebonised frame, 23.5cm by 29cm.
A very small Cirl bunting population exists in South Devon, near the small town of Kingsbridge where the pioneering ornithologist George Montagu discovered the species, as he recorded in his book, the Ornithological Dictionary, 1802. The species appears to have first colonised Britain near Kingsbridge, most likely not long before Montagu described it. It expanded from there across southern England in the nineteenth century. It retreated from the 1930s onwards, so that by 1989 the population again survived mainly near Kingsbridge. Since then, conservation efforts have increased the population more than fivefold, but it remains almost wholly in Devon
Sold for £120
Estimated at £250 - £350
Auction: Natural History & Taxidermy, 16th Apr, 2025
Lots 1-33
Roger Stanfield (1950-2024) was born in Lincolnshire, and held a great love of nature, particularly birds, from a young age. Over the years he worked at several small zoos, including Bristol Zoo where he was a lead zookeeper. In this role, he was charged with the care of a large variety of exotic birds. His knowledge of birds was furthered on numerous bird watching holidays, and over the years he greatly enjoyed travelling to the likes of India and Peru, as well as travelling all over Europe. In later years, Roger qualified as a joiner and carpenter and was very talented with woodwork. He also adored drawing and painting birds and even dabbled in taxidermy himself. He would make his own bird cases, painting appropriate naturalistic scenery and shrubbery. Roger was a regular buyer at Tennants and loved the thrill of bidding and buying birds at auction, as well as enjoying sharing his vast knowledge of birds with specialist Robbie Bright. (Lots 1-33 to be sold without reserves).
Lots 283-294
Dean Field always had a love for nature and then outdoors, which extended to a fascination with taxidermy. In 1983 he met A.J. Armitstead (Tony), the renowned Darlington-based taxidermist, and the pair became lifelong friends. Over the years, Dean commissioned numerous pieces, and greatly admired Armitstead’s ability to create such beautiful, naturalistic scenes and poses of the specimens. Whilst Dean collected taxidermy from a variety of makers in his early years of collecting, he later focussed purely on Armitstead’s work, appreciating the way he captured animals like no other. He slowly replaced pieces in his collection by other artists with those by Armitstead. His collection became a showcase for Armitstead’s work, comprising more than 170 cases. For Dean, taxidermy brought the animals and birds he loved so much into his own home.
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Tuesday 15th April 10am-5pm and the morning of the sale from 8am.
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