A Decorative c.1900 Mahogany Cased Lepidopterists' Collection
SOLD
Origin: English/South American
Period: Late Nineteenth / Early Twentieth Century
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1895-1910
The Case:
Height: 14 inches
Width: 18 inches
Depth: 2 inches
The glazed mahogany display case with hinged sides for access and off white interior housing a collection of exotic butterflies native to Britain and South America containing approximately sixty specimens of butterfly and moth, surviving from the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries.
The shadow box case is in sound structural order with the mahogany nice and rich and the glazing original and in tact. The specimens themselves are in super order with all remaining in tact and pinned, though with the usual amount of loose dust in and around the ensemble. The splendiferous colours on show remain very vivid.
Lepidoptery, the branch of science dedicated to the study of butterflies and moths, has its own legendary figures, and its history is both long and glorious. The examples within this particular case have a pleasing variation with a wide range of distinctive colours and patterns. The specimens are mainly native to South America and some to Britain and range from six inch to one inch in wingspan.
Natural history as its most decorative.