A rare and very unusual late Victorian carved mahogany mirro...

Estimate

£2,000 - £3,000

A rare and very unusual late Victorian carved mahogany mirror-back taxidermy sideboard Attributed to Lewis Hutton or William Hine Of breakfront form with carved scroll cresting above a central mirror flanked by twin glazed ornithological diorama containing to the left: white thrush; grey-headed woodpecker; waxwing; red bunting; hawfinch; Irish jay; nightjar and cirl bunting; and to the right: green finch; whinchat; mistle thrush; goldfinch; jay; greater spotted woodpecker; marsh tit; nightingale; kingfishers; and golden oriel; the lower section with moulded top above three floral-carved frieze drawers and twin carved cupboard doors enclosing pull-out specimen slides, flanking a further mirror-backed ornithological display containing: male and female cheer pheasant; male and female mandarin duck; and green winged dove; raised on a plinth base. 230cm wide x 68cm deep x 260cm high Footnote:Little is known of the origins of this cabinet, save that it was evidently crafted for an ornithological enthusiast to contain perhaps their own specimens for display and study. The carving to the cresting, drawers and cabinet doors, depicting native British flora and foliage, is of a very high calibre and reminiscent of Thomas Henry Kendall and the Warwick School. The taxidermy displays bear similarities to the works of Lewis Hutton of Bristol, who had worked with Henry Ward, London, until 1877, or could be that of William R. Hine (1890-1937) a Canadian-born taxidermist latterly of Southport, Merseyside.