0
30,034  PAGES BROWSED TODAY PAGES TODAY • 75  ANTIQUES UPLOADED TODAY NEW ARRIVALS
Sorted by
Per page
DEALER LOGIN
Selling Antiques Logo
0
Saved
Home
Return
Dealer Login
500+ Shops
Dealers
Newly Added
0
Saved
Sort Order
Latest
Price Low
Price High
sellingantiques.co.uk
ID #SA1208677
FOR SALE
£3,450
Email
Save
Pair of Oil Paintings on Canvas by Edward Henry Windred
Christopher Tombs Antiques Ltd
for sale €4,037     $4,382
£3,450

Christopher Tombs Antiques Ltd

Sellingantiques Verified Since Oct 2010
View Dealers Stock Page
Relevant Links
Id #SA1208677
PDF SHARE
SAVE

Pair of Oil Paintings on Canvas by Edward Henry Windred

19th century
Description

We are offering to you these Beautiful Pair of Racing Pigeon Paintings.

EDWARD HENRY WINDRED (1875-1953).

'MR A.SMITH'S PRIDE' & MR A. SMITH'S HEXHAM KING'

PAIR OF OIL PAINTINGS ON CANVAS

Both signed in lower right corner.

Both inscribed with full bird descriptions along lower edge.

Sat within the Gold Frames

They are offered in unrestored Condition and Plenty more images available upon request.

Frame Dimensions - 48cm x 37.8cm x 4cm

Canvas Size - 31cm x 41cm

Nobody knows exactly how many pigeon portraits were produced, but their popularity peaked in the 1920s and 1930s.

During this period, several self-taught artists specialised in painting racing pigeons for their proud owners.

Probably the most prolific of these artists was E.H. Windred, whose paintings are still among the most commonly found today.

Originally from a mining background, he moved to London and lived in or near New Cross Gate.

By trade, he worked as a barber and had no formal artistic training.

This lack of training led Windred to develop a highly distinctive and practical technique.

He kept a collection of cardboard or plywood silhouettes of pigeons in various shapes and postures.

He would hold these up against the live bird until he found the one that best matched its stance, then draw around the silhouette to create the outline.

To capture the correct colours and feathering patterns, he would keep a few feathers from the pigeon after it was returned to its owner and use them as a reference.

Interestingly, pigeon lofts rarely appeared in these portraits.

Like most artists of the time, Windred preferred to paint idealised rural or countryside scenes as the background.

He also followed the common practice of including the fancier’s name, the pigeon’s own name, its ring number, and details of its racing performances directly on the canvas.

Delivery to you within the UK is included in the asking Price.

Shipping is also a Pleasure so please do contact us for a quote.

Thanks for looking and we welcome all inquiries.

Chris

07778655965

Physical Dimensions
Height
37.8cm (14.88")
Width
48cm (18.90")
Depth
4cm (1.57")
Declaration

Christopher Tombs Antiques Ltd has dated these Antique Pigeon Oil Paintings to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1208677
Dealers Internal Reference
Pigeon0002
Description
We are offering to you these Beautiful Pair of Racing Pigeon Paintings.

EDWARD HENRY WINDRED (1875-1953).

'MR A.SMITH'S PRIDE' & MR A. SMITH'S HEXHAM KING'

PAIR OF OIL PAINTINGS ON CANVAS

Both signed in lower right corner.

fig 1. A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border.
fig 1. Pair of Oil Paintings on Canvas by Edward Henry Windred

Both inscribed with full bird descriptions along lower edge.

Sat within the Gold Frames

They are offered in unrestored Condition and Plenty more images available upon request.

Frame Dimensions - 48cm x 37.8cm x 4cm

fig 2. A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border.
fig 2. Pair of Oil Paintings on Canvas by Edward Henry Windred

Canvas Size - 31cm x 41cm

“
Nobody knows exactly how many pigeon portraits were produced, but their popularity peaked in the 1920s and 1930s.
Christopher Tombs Antiques Ltd

During this period, several self-taught artists specialised in painting racing pigeons for their proud owners.

fig 3. A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border.
fig 3. Pair of Oil Paintings on Canvas by Edward Henry Windred

Probably the most prolific of these artists was E.H. Windred, whose paintings are still among the most commonly found today.

Originally from a mining background, he moved to London and lived in or near New Cross Gate.

fig 4. A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border.
fig 4. Pair of Oil Paintings on Canvas by Edward Henry Windred

By trade, he worked as a barber and had no formal artistic training.

This lack of training led Windred to develop a highly distinctive and practical technique.

He kept a collection of cardboard or plywood silhouettes of pigeons in various shapes and postures.

fig 5. A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border.
fig 5. Pair of Oil Paintings on Canvas by Edward Henry Windred

He would hold these up against the live bird until he found the one that best matched its stance, then draw around the silhouette to create the outline.

To capture the correct colours and feathering patterns, he would keep a few feathers from the pigeon after it was returned to its owner and use them as a reference.

fig 6. A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border.
fig 6. Pair of Oil Paintings on Canvas by Edward Henry Windred

Interestingly, pigeon lofts rarely appeared in these portraits.

Like most artists of the time, Windred preferred to paint idealised rural or countryside scenes as the background.

He also followed the common practice of including the fancier’s name, the pigeon’s own name, its ring number, and details of its racing performances directly on the canvas.

Delivery to you within the UK is included in the asking Price.

Shipping is also a Pleasure so please do contact us for a quote.

Thanks for looking and we welcome all inquiries.

Chris

07778655965

Height
37.8cm (14.88")
Width
48cm (18.90")
Depth
4cm (1.57")
Date of Manufacture

Christopher Tombs Antiques Ltd has dated these Antique Pigeon Oil Paintings to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1208677
Dealers Internal Ref
Pigeon0002
Christopher Tombs Antiques Ltd
Sellingantiques verified Since Oct 2010
Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Christopher Tombs Antiques Ltd Profile Page

Relevant Links
PDF SHARE
SAVE
A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border.
1 / 10
Archive I A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border.

PAIR OF OIL PAINTINGS ON CANVAS by EDWARD HENRY WINDRED

Archive II A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border. View II
Archive III A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border. View III
Archive IV A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border. View IV
Archive V A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border. View V
Archive VI A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border. View VI
Archive VII A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border. View VII
Archive VIII A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border. View VIII
Archive IX A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border. View IX
Archive X A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border. View X
FURTHER BROWSING

Visitors also looked at these ⇣

Enlarged Archival View

Christopher Tombs Antiques Ltd
Telephone 01386 700 085
Location
Unit 96
Northwick Business Centre
Blockley
Gloucestershire
GL56 9RF
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/ct
Verified Since Oct 2010
Items For Sale 64
Items Sold 560
Christopher Tombs Antiques Ltd
Verified Since Oct 2010
View Dealer Info
Location: Unit 96, Northwick Business Centre, Blockley, Gloucestershire, GL56 9RF, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/ct
Verified
Oct 2010
For Sale
64
Sold
560
A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border.
PAIR OF OIL PAINTINGS ON CANVAS by EDWARD HENRY WINDRED
Ref: SA1208677
A pair of framed antique oil paintings on canvas depicting a grey racing pigeon on the left and a brown racing pigeon on the right, both set against muted backgrounds with inscriptions along the lower border.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Detail View 5
Detail View 6
Detail View 7
Detail View 8
Detail View 9
Archival Detail

Strictly Vetted Dealers

Every single antique dealer on our platform is individually approved by our internal team. We verify their professional trade history, ethical standards, and photographic quality to ensure a secure, high-standard buying environment. Upon joining, every dealer agrees to a strict 9-point code of conduct. While issues can occasionally arise, our dealers typically resolve them swiftly and directly with the buyer. In fact, since our founding in 2002, Sellingantiques has only had to step in to help resolve an issue on roughly five occasions—a true testament to the quality of our dealers and their dedication to your happiness.

Secure Transit

Our dealers are highly experienced in packing and shipping fragile, high-value antiques. Because you are in direct contact with the dealer, you will be able to easily go through all available shipping and insurance options together to ensure your item arrives safely.

The Sustainable Choice

Antiques are the ultimate green purchase. By choosing historical pieces over newly manufactured goods, you completely eliminate the carbon footprint of modern mass production while preserving exceptional, timeless craftsmanship.

FAQs

Racing pigeon portraits gained popularity in late 19th and early 20th century Britain, commissioned by fanciers to commemorate winning birds. Artists like Edward Henry Windred specialised in these naive-style depictions, documenting specific achievements, dates, and flight lineage along the lower margin.

These artworks were typically rendered in oil paint on stretched canvas or timber panels, housed within moulded gilt wood frames. Inscriptions detailing bird titles and race statistics were hand-painted directly onto the canvas surface.

Authentic examples feature distinct naive stylistic proportions, detailed hand-lettered inscriptions along the base detailing competition records, and natural signs of age such as fine craquelure or patina on the gilt framing.

Pairing folk art paintings with clean, contemporary furniture creates an eclectic visual contrast. Hanging a styled pair symmetrically on a gallery wall or positioned above a console table adds texture and narrative to both traditional and modern spaces.

Position oil paintings away from direct sunlight, extreme humidity fluctuations, and radiator heat to prevent canvas warping or paint cracking. Dust gently using a dry, soft microfibre cloth or camel-hair brush, avoiding liquid cleaning agents.
items
Add keywords to the filter
Price
£100
£250000
Era
Movements
Material
Origin
Stock Location
Freshness
Online Payments
Categories