20th May, 2022 10:30 GMT/BST
The James Harrison Collection of Birds
73
Taxidermy: A Late Victorian Cased Jameson's Silver Gull & Yellow-billed Tern, dated 1891, Australia, by Henry James Burton, 191 Wardour Street, London, a high quality case containing a Jameson's silver gull with head lowered feeding upon seaweeds, a Yellow-billed Tern perched above on a large faux rock, both set amidst a natural setting of seaweed and branches, mounted upon pebble and seaweed covered groundwork, set against a watercolour painted blue back drop, enclosed within a typical period ebonised three-glass display case, 66.5cm by 25cm by 48cm, signed to interior back drop lower left - Burton & Son, 191 Wardour St, London, bearing label to interior - Australia, Jameson's Silver Gull, the Little Gull of the Colonists, Torres Straits Tern, the Yellow-billed Tern of the Colonists, Shot in the Colony of Victoria in 1891, by T. Parkin.
Sold for £280
Estimated at £200 - £300
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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