The Art of Nature
Lots: 237
Nature – as an art form, as inspiration to create art – is celebrated in its full diverse glory in our inaugural Art of Nature sale. Inspired by the natural world, we have curated an auction spanning books and prints, jewellery and silver, paintings and fossils. While nature is ‘red in tooth and claw’, it is also the lavender-purple of an amethyst geode, the rich hues of flowers in an Old Master still life, the shining gilt on a silver snail, and the iridescence of the tail feathers of a peacock.
Highlights include works by Thomas Gainsborough, Michel Ghatan, John Gould, Wencelsaus Hollar, Wilhelm Kuhnert, David Shepherd, Archibald Thorburn and Simon 'the stuffa' Wilson.
We have arranged the sale in three sections:
LAND (lots 1 – 166) begins with mountainous landscapes, sweeping down to shaded woods and trees, vines and the world of beautiful flowers and plants. We then dive underground, to the world of geodes, crystals, and fools gold. Darwin's 'On the Origin of Species' then marks the switch to the animal kingdom, from elephants and lions, to cats, dogs and rats.
SEA (lots 167- 197) begins with stunning seascapes, fish, sea creatures, shells, and then under the sea bed for ammonite fossils
AIR (Lots 198 – 236), is headlined by John Gould’s Birds of Great Britain, in all 25 original parts, followed by the birds and the bees, peacocks, owls and the bones of a bat.
Check out our blog about Earth Day in the Stories section of our website.
Whether you're an art collector, a conservationist, or simply passionate about nature, this sale offers a rare opportunity to acquire meaningful, museum-quality pieces that reflect the beauty and fragility of our environment.
Lot 100 - PHILIP LUTLEY SCLATER, 'ON THE RHINOCEROSES… ' 1877
Sold for £756
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 101 - TAXIDERMY, A GOOD LIFESIZE CAST OF A WHITE RHINO'S HEAD AFTER ROWLAND WARD
Estimated at £2,000 - £3,000
Lot 108 - A CHINESE PALE CELADON 'WATER BUFFALO' JADE CARVING
Sold for £7,308
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 109 - AN ELIZABETH II STERLING SILVER MODEL OF A CAMEL, LONDON 1991 BY BSE PRODUCTS
Estimated at £250 - £350
![Lot 111 - ALPHONSE MILNE-EDWARDS, ET AL. HISTOIRE NATURELLE DES MAMMIFERES [LEMURS] 1875](https://chiswick.blob.core.windows.net/stock/247185-3-small.jpg?v=63879189495350)
Lot 111 - ALPHONSE MILNE-EDWARDS, ET AL. HISTOIRE NATURELLE DES MAMMIFERES [LEMURS] 1875
Sold for £504
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 112 - AN EARLY 20TH CENTURY PORCUPINE QUILL WRITING SLOPE
Sold for £454
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 113 - A CARVED AND POLISHED SOAPSTONE SCULPTURE OF A HIPPOPOTAMUS
Sold for £252
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 116 - TAXIDERMY, A NORTH AMERICAN BLACK BEAR (URSUS AMERICANUS) BY SIMON 'THE STUFFA' WILSON
Estimated at £4,500 - £5,500
Lot 117 - A LATE 20TH CENTURY FRENCH 950 STANDARD SILVER MODEL OF A POLAR BEAR
Sold for £3,780
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 118 - A FOSSILISED ELEPHANT (PALAEOLOXODON NAMADICUS) TOOTH
Sold for £63
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 121 - ALFRED JAMES OAKLEY (BRITISH, 1878–1959), CARVED OAK SCULPTURE OF A FAWN
Sold for £580
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 123 - A GROUP OF THREE ROYAL CROWN DERBY PORCELAIN FIGURES
Sold for £239
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 124 - A VICTORIAN STERLING SILVER NOVELTY PEPPER POT, LONDON 1874 BY EDWARD STOCKWELL
Estimated at £700 - £900
Lot 126 - A GROUP OF SEVEN CHINESE 'ANIMAL AND FRUITS' JADE CARVINGS
Sold for £202
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 127 - A VICTORIAN STERLING SILVER MODEL OF A DOG, LONDON 1899 BY SAMPSON MORDAN AND CO
Estimated at £600 - £800
Lot 130 - AN EDWARDIAN STERLING SILVER VESTA, BIRMINGHAM 1902 BY WILLIAM AITKEN
Sold for £113
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 136 - § CHARLES FREDERICK TUNNICLIFFE O.B.E, R.A. (BRITISH, 1901-1979)
Estimated at £700 - £1,000
Lot 138 - AN ELIZABETH II STERLING SILVER PILL BOX, LONDON 1985 BY SARAH JONES
Estimated at £200 - £300
Lot 141 - A GROUP OF FIVE EARLY 20th CENTURY NOVELTY BRASS VESTA CASES
Sold for £63
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 142 - AN ELIZABETH II MODERN STERLING SILVER MODEL OF PIG, BIRMINGHAM CIRCA 2000 BY L C LTD
Estimated at £300 - £500
Lot 143 - AN ELIZABETH II MODERN STERLING SILVER GILT MODEL OF PIG, BIRMINGHAM CIRCA 2000 BY L C LTD
Sold for £378
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 148 - POSSIBLY ALEXANDRE THOMAS FRANCIA (FRENCH, 1813/20 - 1884)
Sold for £252
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 159 - A LARGE BAKHTIARI RUG OF GARDEN DESIGN, WEST PERSIA
Sold for £605
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 163 - AN EXTREMELY FINE SILK QUM RUG WITH HUNTING DESIGN, CENTRAL PERSIA
Sold for £1,008
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 168 - § CHARLES PEARS, P.S.M.A., R.O.I. (BRITISH, 1873-1958)
Sold for £630
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 178 - SAMUEL BROOKES, AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF CONCHOLOGY, 1815
Sold for £378
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 182 - A PAIR OF PEARL, MOTHER-OF-PEARL AND DIAMOND PENDENT EARRINGS, CIRCA 2017
Sold for £126
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 186 - A VICTORIAN STERLING SILVER NOVELTY MUSTARD POT, LONDON 1879 BY JOHN SEPTIMUS BERESFORD
Sold for £1,512
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 187 - TAXIDERMY, A CROCODILE (CROCODYLIDAE) 'DUMB WAITER'
Sold for £151
Includes Buyer's Premium
Lot 189 - A PAIR OF ELIZABETH II STERLING SILVER MODELS OF SEAHORSES, EDINBURGH 2011 BY LPM
Estimated at £400 - £600
Lot 190 - AN ELIZABETH II STERLING SILVER NOVELTY MUSTARD POT, LONDON 1975 BY JOHN HENRY ODELL
Estimated at £800 - £1,200
