A Collection of Indian and European Game Trophies from Kilberry Castle, Argyll, will be sold at Tennants Auctioneers as part of their Natural History and Taxidermy Sale on 20th April 2022.
Kilberry Castle, a baronial tower house on the West Coast of Scotland, was home to a branch of Clan Campbell for over 450 years. Built in 1497, Kilberry has had a long and fascinating history, having been destroyed by an English pirate in 1513, besieged during the Civil War and almost destroyed by fire in the 18th century before being rebuilt in 1844 by John Campbell.
Following the sale of the Castle earlier this year, the family collection of Indian and European Game Trophies will be sold at Tennants. Many of the trophies date from the second half of the 19th century, with rare and historical specimens including Asian Water Buffalos, Astor Markhors, Bengal Tigers, Indian Leopards and Himalayan Tahr.
A fascinating family game book from the late 19th century was loaned to Tennants by the vendors to help research the collection. The book was annotated by a later descendant, who at one point writes in reference to rhinoceros’ skulls ‘I had these skulls removed and buried, and also that of a tiger (alleged maneater) [P27] in the 1950s. Someone will dig them up someday and have several fits’.
