A Good Early 20thC Mahogany Housed Lepidopterist's Collection
SOLD
Origin: British
Period: Early Twentieth Century
Provenance: J Burnett (?), 136 Renfield Street, Glasgow
Date: c.1910-30
The Mahogany Case:
Height: 5 inches
Width: 24 inches
Depth: 10.5 inches
The Six Individual Cases: 9 inches x 7 inches each
The mahogany hinged box opening to reveal six numbered open fronted cases, each white lined with lift out glazed tray lids, housing a total of one hundred and eleven specimens of moths and butterflies. Each tray is marked verso in hand written black ink with a number, and the collectors details; “J Burnett (?), 136 Renfield Street Glasgow”.
Overall condition is good to very good with only around 5% of the specimens having any damage, most of it light whilst the condition of the cases and hinged box are all in sound order with the glazing in tact. There is Scottish newspaper present dated to 1959, used to keep the cases snug in the box. The lid of the box is marked ‘James McCosh’.
Two of the six cases are annotated and these examples are marked as; Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell, Pearl Border Fritillary, Lulworth Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Common Blue, Green Hair Streak , Purple Hair Streak, Clifton Blue, White and Red Admiral, Silver Washed Fritillary, Peacock, Little Blue, Silver Studded Blue, Small Copper, Small Heath, Brown Argus, Chalk Hill Blue, Rhamni Brimstone, Megaera Wall, Semele Grayling, Hyper Anthus Ringlet and Grey Veined White. The other specimens are all without labels but include three atlas moths.
This is a varied collection, displaying a highly colourful array of specimens in a good mixture of sizes, imploring to be appreciated by a new lepidopterist.
