ANTIQUES
RECENTLY
SOLD ITEMS
Rex Gully &
Rebecca Ball:
Ask an
expert!
H
Taxidermy Exhibit
Sold for £300
Sheep dog from waxworks,
sold to a mainland enthusiast
HRD Auction Rooms
Cased Grey Parrot
Sold for £300
By taxidermist Rowland Ward,
sold to international collector
HRD Auction Rooms
African Elephant
Sold for £6,700
Taxidermy exhibit bought for a
prestigious private collection
HRD Auction Rooms
ugely popular with the Victorians, but having fallen
out of favour until relatively recently, there is no
denying that taxidermy is now firmly back on the
list of de rigueur collectables.
Salerooms and antiques dealers throughout the country
have seen a huge upsurge in the popularity of all manner
of stuffed creatures, as fashionable clients jump on the
bandwagon of the latest interiors trend.
Having come a long way from its starting point as a
dramatic educational tool, popularised by the Victorian
fascination with the natural world, taxidermy has cast off
its morbid connotations and been embraced by lovers of
art and antiques.
If you are keen to start collecting, then regardless of the
size of your budget or the space available, you are certain
to be able to find a piece of taxidermy to suit.
At Hose Rhodes Dickson we regularly see stuffed
squirrels, birds and fish, which can often be purchased
quite inexpensively. However, we are no strangers to the
more exotic and extravagant, as we have also sold an
African Grey parrot, by renowned taxidermist Rowland
Ward, a stuffed dog and, incredibly, an elephant.
HRD Auctions - 01983 402222
Roadster
Sold for £18,500
1960 MGA Sports Roadster car
Island Auction Rooms
Bracelet
Sold for £2,400
Diamond bracelet
Island Auction Rooms
Brooch
Sold for £1,900
Diamond spry brooch
Island Auction Rooms
Auction report
T
here was no waning in the attendance at Hose
Rhodes Dickson Auction Rooms recently, when a
capacity crowd watched the team of auctioneers wax
lyrical, as the remainder of contents from the old Brading
Waxworks went under the hammer.
Lots ranged from two complete displays featuring the
waxworks of Little Jane and Charles I, through to the neon
‘bat’ sign and even a taxidermy dog. As anticipated, the
museum still held a fond place in the hearts of many, and
a comprehensive promotional campaign, particularly
embracing the power of social media, ensured enquiries
flew in from as far afield as the Shetland Islands.
What ensued was enthusiastic bidding from clients keen
to acquire a fragment of Isle of Wight history, with all
lots soaring over their guide prices. There are now pieces
of Brading Waxworks dotted throughout the country,
delighting collectors of curios and those with treasured
childhood memories alike.
Island Auction Rooms - 01983 863441
www.visitilife.com
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