Natural History: A Collection of Replica Great Auk Eggs & Skull, modern, a group of six various hand painted replica Great Auk eggs, mounted upon a dark green baize back drop, surrounding a replica Great Auk skull and beak, enclosed within a cream painted single-glass display case, 45cm by 13.5cm by 45cm

Similar coloured authentic Great Auk eggs were previously collected and owned by notable people including Walter Rothchild, Captain James Cook, John Hancock and the Earl of Derby; names given to oddly coloured examples include Dufresnes Blotched and Green St Malo. Not since 1844 has a Great Auk (Alca impennis) trod the earth. It was a large flightless sea bird, slightly smaller than a goose and more docile. An expert swimmer and diver, its feet hurt so much that it often lay stretched prone on the rocks. The Auk laid only one egg a year but no two eggs were ever alike in size, shape or colour. Contrary to general belief the Auk was not an Arctic bird. It bred and lived in Iceland and on the islands off Newfoundland where French fishermen were responsible for its extinction. Auk hunting was simplicity itself. A gangplank was laid from a fishing boat to a rock on shore. Inquisitive Auks waddled painfully aboard, were knocked on the head and dumped in the hold.