Avicultural history and the stories of the past fascinate me... Whilst I have not yet participated in showing, aside from a few of my Racing pigeons in my youth. The fascinating world of Showing still sparks an interest.
A few years ago I attended a soft bill bird show & sale in Suffolk, where members of the local Softbill bird club presented dressed cages and a wide variety of species all competing for the various titles, cups, and awards. A recent addition to my collection has been a lovely vintage bronze medal from the National Foreign Bird Show dated 1930. After delving into some archives, I have managed to uncover that the medal was awarded to Mr. Andrew Wilson, F.Z.S., of Glasgow and his King bird of Paradise. The bird was said to be the only specimen in captivity at the time and the cynosure of all eyes. With beauty and variety of plumage that beggars description, it sat devouring with avidity ugly German meal worms, which cost his owner, nearly 10s a pound.
Below; 1930's newspaper article on the Nottingham show , featuring Mr Wilson:
.jpg)
King King bird-of-paradise - Cicinnurus regius
Since my initial purchase, I have also purchased two solid silver (Dated 1932 + 1933 looking at the Anchor, Lion, and Letting stamped on each medal) The first Is engraved Nation Foreign Bird Show 1932 and the second is similar aside from a slight change to the main face, being marked with the same engraving only dated a year later for 1933.
 | ||
|
No comments:
Post a Comment