An Extinct Cave Bear & Private Collections of Taxidermy

A rare Extinct Cave Bear Skeleton (Ursus spelaeus) is to be sold in Tennants Auctioneers’ Natural History and Taxidermy Sale on 16^th April. Dating from the late Pleistocene era, the species went extinct around 24,000 years ago. Measuring over two metres high, the skeleton was part of a display at the Portsmouth Museum for over 15 years and will be offered with an estimate of £5,000-7,000 (all figures exclude buyer’s premium). Cave bears primarily inhabited caves in Europe and parts of Asia, and mostly fed on plants, fruits and grasses. With males growing up to four metres in length, they were much larger than modern bears, and fossils suggested they often competed with early humans for shelter. Whilst well adapted for cold environments, they likely went extinct due to hunting by both Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons and competition with other predators.

The sale will see the first part of the Dean Field Collection come under the hammer. Dean Field always had a love for nature and then outdoors, which extended to a fascination with taxidermy. In 1983 he met A.J. Armitstead, the renowned Darlington-based taxidermist, and the pair became lifelong friends. Over 42 years, Dean commissioned numerous pieces, and greatly admired Armitstead’s ability to create such beautiful, naturalistic scenes and poses of the specimens. His collection became a showcase for Armitstead’s work, comprising more than 170 cases. Now on offer are twelve pieces examples of Armitstead’s work from the collection, many of which were made to Dean’s specific instructions. Highlights include a Wall Cased Pair of Peregrin Falcons (Falco peregrinus), captive bred, dated 2016, which will be offered with an estimate of £800-1,200. The rest of the collection will be sold in subsequent Natural History and Taxidermy Sales.

Also on offer in the sale will be thirty-four lots from the Roger Stanfield Collection. Roger Stanfield (1950-2024) was born in Lincolnshire, and held a great love of nature, and particularly birds, from a young age. Over the years he worked at several small zoos, and his knowledge of birds was furthered on numerous bird watching holidays, and over the years he greatly enjoyed travelling to the likes of India and Peru. Roger was a regular buyer at Tennants and loved the thrill of bidding and buying birds at auction, as well as enjoying sharing his vast knowledge of birds with specialist Robbie Bright. Highlights from his collection include a Cased Standard-Winged Nightjar (Caprimulgus longipennis), that was made around the early 20^th century by Leonard C. Harwood, Naturalist of Hammersmith, London (estimate: £300-500). Harwood accompanied Lord Delamere on an expedition to Kenya at the end of the 19th century. He had a gerbil and francolin bird named in his honour.

Further notable lots in the sale from other vendors include The R.M.A. Sutton Collection of Lepidoptera, comprising over 3,600 early 20^th century British moths and native butterflies in a collector’s chest (estimate: £1,500-2,000), a circa 1870-1900 Paradise Riflebird (Lophorina paradisea) (estimate: £600-800), and a Bengal Tiger Skin (Panthera tigris tigris) dated 1936 by Van Ingen & Van Ingen of Mysore, India (estimate: £3,500-5,500). Also of interest amongst the taxidermy is an Extinct Specimen of the Slender-Billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) (estimate: £300-500).

Further highlights include a Large Brazilian Amethyst Geode Cathedral, measuring nearly 60cm in height which was previously on display at the Portsmouth Museum (estimate: £300-400), and an Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar), dated 1951 by Rowland Ward Ltd; the salmon plastercast was made from a 43lb fish caught in Norway by Col. W.H. Nicholls (estimate: £600-800).

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The sale of Specimens and Material derived from Endangered Species 

All auction entries at Tennants are sold strictly in accordance with CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna) regulations, and any necessary licences or Pre-sale approvals are obtained from Animal Health, Bristol.