Kendall House Antiques Ltd. has dated this piece to the 1900s.
“BLACK TERN Hydrochelidon Fissipes shot at STRATTON AUDLEY 13. June 1903”
In the early 1900s, the Black Tern, while still present, faced significant challenges. Historically, it was abundant in the eastern Fens of England, particularly in Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire, However, extensive drainage of their breeding grounds had drastically reduced the population, and by about 1840, the English nesting population was largely wiped out.
This bird shot in 1903 would have I assume been a rare visiting bird.
41cm High x 39.5 Wide x 30cm Deep.
For more information on this most famous Victorian taxidermy firm see ‘Rowland Ward Taxidermist to the world’ by P.A.Morris published in 2003. The following is an extract from its preface:
“Rowland Ward died in 1912, but his name lives on, synonymous with high quality and big game taxidermy…. For over a century, the firm was the market leader in taxidermy, at a time when taxidermy was an integral part of the science of natural history. Taxidermy was also associated with many aspects of the social history of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, ranging from sporting activities across the Empire to household decoration in middle class Victorian and Edwardian homes.”
Kendall House Antiques Ltd. has dated this piece to the 1900s.
Kendall house antiques a traditional shop in the north cotswold’s market town of chipping campden.
You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Kendall House Antiques Ltd. Profile Page
Taxidermy - Black Tern by Rowland Ward of London. 1903
