12th Nov, 2025 10:30 GMT/BST
Natural History & Taxidermy
5
Taxidermy: A Wall Cased Trio of Great Tits (Parus major), dated 2007, by A.J. Armitstead, Taxidermy, Darlington, Co Durham, a family group of male and female full-mount adults, a juvenile full-mount set below, all perched upon a simulated drystone wall setting, amidst natural small branches, ferns and grasses, set against a watercolour painted meadow scene backdrop, enclosed within an oak framed diamond shaped five-glass wall-hanging display case, 37.5cm by 10.5cm by 52.cm excluding outer frame, signed and dated to interior lower right, taxidermist's full paper trade label to verso. Part of The Dean Field Collection
Sold for £200
Estimated at £150 - £250
Auction: Natural History & Taxidermy, 12th Nov, 2025
The sale will include important historical taxidermy from a Private Country House Collection in North Yorkshire (lots 170-231). Never having appeared on the market before, the specimens were collected by the family in the late 19th and early 20th century and prepared by leading taxidermists of the day such as Rowland Ward, James Gardner, and Pretoria-based J.R. Ivy. The 62-lot collection is a treasure trove of interesting items of natural history, including such highlights as a Cased Little Spotted Kiwi (estimate: £2,000-3,000), a Late Victorian Cased pair of Greater Flamingo by James Gardner (1844-1917) (estimate: £1,800-2,500), a Late Victorian Cased Display of Owls by James Gardner (estimate: £800-1,200), and an Indian Leopard Skin Rug in excellent condition (estimate £1,500-2,500).
The sale will also offer the third instalment of the Dean Fields Collection (with the fourth part coming up in 2026). 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.
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Sunday 9 November 11am-3pm, Monday 10 November - Tuesday 11 November 10am-5pm and morning of the sale from 8am
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