A Large Mature 19thC Taxidermy Mute Swan c.1900

Object Description

The rare large mature English Mute Swan (Cygnus olor), posed standing with a later faux-pearl necklace, mounted to a rectangular pine base and surviving from the zeniths of Victorian England in beautifully aged overall condition.

Object History

Unknown.

Object Literature

One of our most iconic waterbirds, the mute swan is famed for its grace and beauty and is a very large white waterbird. It has a long S-shaped neck and an orange bill with a black base and a black knob. It flies with its neck extended and regular, slow wingbeats. The Royal swans are no longer marked, but an unmarked mute swan on the Thames is regarded as belonging to the Queen by default.

A particularly old example which has a real old Spitalfields flavour.

Object Condition

The specimen is presented in fair overall condition with discolouring to the feathers over a century and some expected small feather loss. One of the feet is detached slightly form the base. Overall, she is very much of the country house faded grandeur aesthetic.

Object Details