Taxidermy- Jackdaw by W.f. Homer London. Circa 1920

Jackdaw in octagonal wall case by the famous London fish taxidermist W F Homer of 105 Woodgrange Rd Forest Gate London, E. His small blue paper trade label pasted internally on the back board.

46cm High x 32cm Wide.

For more information on this famous and highly sought after taxidermist see ‘The Domesday book of English Fish Taxidermists’ by Barry Williams published in 2020. A volume that cannot be more highly recommended. To my knowledge alone the research took Barry over 20 years!

The following are extracts:

WF Homer gives 1887 as the year he established his business,…….Angling was Homers great passion in life….. by the late 1890’s Homer moved to 157 Forest Lane, Forest Gate London. It was this address that Homer established himself as a full-time professional taxidermist.

In 1904 W F Homer rented a shop at 105 Woodgrange Road, Forest Gate and, with Griggs his assistant, set up as a taxidermist, fishing tackle manufacture, and retailer of fisherman’s supplies……..Homer soon had a reputation for quality taxidermy.

Homer’s 1913 catalogue and advertisements from the same time feature a photograph of his taxidermy workshop, showing they almost exclusively mounted fish……..later photographs, from the 1930’s show almost as many mounted birds and animals as there are mounted fish, and yet today birds and animals mounted by Homer are uncommon; usually all that are seen are small octagon-shaped cases containing canaries.

In 1934 Homer decided to take semi-retirement as he was now aged 65……He died of heart failure on 5th January, 1937. He was buried at Forest Gate cemetery, close to where he had spent most of his adult life.

Homers the taxidermists continued to produce excellent work, in fact it is impossible to tell when Homer ceased work and his employees took over, such was the similarity in their work. There was no noticeable change for the next few years, apart from a reduction in business throughout the Second World War. In 1945 Homers moved to 135 Woodgrange Rd about 100 yards from their existing shop……...

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