20th May, 2022 10:30 GMT/BST
The James Harrison Collection of Birds
48
Taxidermy: A Late Victorian Cased Pacific Black Duck & Blue-Billed Teal, dated 1891, Australia, by Henry James Burton, 191 Wardour Street, London, a high quality case containing a Pacific Black Duck stood upon a painted faux rock, a Blue-billed Teal below with head lowered in feeding pose, both amidst a natural setting of tall grasses and reeds, above pebbled groundwork beneath, set against a watercolour painted pale blue back drop, enclosed within a typical period ebonised three-glass display case, 66cm by 25cm by 47.5cm, signed to interior back drop, bearing label to interior lower left - Australian Wild Duck (Black Duck), Anas superciliosa, Australian Teal (Red-breasted Duck), Anas punctata, Shot in the Colony of Victoria in 1891, by T. Parkin.
Sold for £170
Estimated at £150 - £250
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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