20th May, 2022 10:30 GMT/BST

The James Harrison Collection of Birds

 
  Lot 77
 

77

Taxidermy: A Trio of Common Cuckoos (Cuculus canorus), dated 1913-1922, a full mount adult male with head turning slightly to the right, perched upn a small branch, mounted upon a small rectangular homemade base, overall height 31cm, with attached data label - Cuckoo, Male, 4th 1922, Staplehurst, Kent, another adult male in stooped position with tail raised, perched upon a small branch, mounted upon a pebbled square base, overall height 30cm, with attached data label - Cuckoo, Male, 20th 5th 1921, Dungeness, Kent, a full mount male juvenile with tail raised and wings open, perched upon a small cut branch, mounted upon a small ebonised rectangular base, overall height 31cm, with attached data label - Cuckoo, Male Juvenile, 12th 8th 1913, St Helen's Wood, Hastings, Sussex, (3)

Sold for £250
Estimated at £120 - £180


 

Adult Cuckoo dated 20th 5th 1921 - right leg broken.

 


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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. 

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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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