20th May, 2022 10:30 GMT/BST
The James Harrison Collection of Birds
129
Taxidermy: A Late Victorian Cased Pair of Common Scoter Ducks (Melanitta nigra), dated 1881, England, a pair of full mount adults hen and drake, the drake stood upon a large painted faux rock, the hen with head lowered beneath, both amidst a natural setting of tall reeds and grasses, set against a graduated watercolour painted blue back drop, enclosed within a typical period ebonised three-glass display case, 73cm by 22.5cm by 52cm, bearing label to interior lower left - England, Black Ducks (Common scoter), shot off Fairlight, Hastings, Sussex, by T. Parkin, on November 18th 1881.
Sold for £190
Estimated at £150 - £200
Auction: The James Harrison Collection of Birds, 20th May, 2022
The James Harrison Collection comprises over 200 lots of cased and freemount birds dating from the late Victorian era to the middle of the 20th century. The collection includes rare and unusual examples, such as a passenger pigeon and a kiwi, as well as mounts by the likes of Rowland Ward, James Gardner, Charles Kirk and George Bristow.
James Maurice Harrison (1892-1971) was an ornithologist and one of the last great bird collectors, who gathered large numbers of specimens to study moult patterns, distribution, geographical and colour variation within and between species. A GP by profession, Harrison filled his family home and Doctor's Surgery, Bowerwood House in Kent, with his extraordinary collection.
Viewing
Wednesday 18th May 10:00am - 4:00pm, Thursday 19th May 10:00am - 4:00pm, and the morning of the sale from 8am. Viewing is open to the public, there is no need to make an appointment.
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