As part of its Natural History & Taxidermy auction on August 9, North Yorkshire saleroom Tennants is selling the second part of the Bruce Housden collection of taxidermy.
A bricklayer by trade, the late Bruce Housden of Cambridgeshire amassed more than 500 specimens of cased taxidermy and natural history curiosities over a 45-year period.
A potential highlight is a Victorian cased taxidermy by Henry Ward of London, c.1899-1902, of a Kirk’s dik-dik, the small antelope native to eastern Africa. This particular dik-dik was adopted as a company mascot during the Second Boer War and belonged to a Major Johnson-Smith.
When the animal died of natural causes, Johnson-Smith had the body returned to London where his family had it mounted. According to the accompanying provenance, it remained with the family until the sale of their estate.
It is being offered with an estimate of £350-550.
tennants.co.uk or see this item on thesaleroom.com
This late-17th century oak two-part chest of eight short drawers will feature in a three-day sale of Wine, Asian Works of Art, Silver & Jewellery at Bellmans in West Sussex on August 6-8.
The 4ft x 3ft 7in (1.23 x 1.1m) piece stands on bun feet and is decorated to each drawer with chequer banding and rolled paper marblewood veneered fronts.
Estimate £500-800.
bellmans.co.uk or see this item on thesaleroom.com
