Edward Gerrard & Sons
Labels
Edward Gerrard & Sons Labels give clues to the dates of their work
Edward Gerrard & Sons labels bear clues to the date of their work. Although a change to addresses is often a clue on taxidermists labels, this clue doesn’t apply because it’s missing on Gerrard labels since they used the 61 College Place address for over 100 years.
For 115 years between 1850-1965 Edward Gerrard and Sons of Camden Town, London dominated the Taxidermy landscape in Britain. This firm was one of the top five taxidermy firms operating in London during the Victorian era.
Although the address clue is not relevant to dating Gerrard’s work – generally speaking – there are other important signals; postcodes and phone numbers, dates of medals and awards won, and typefaces. These things can be cleverly indicative, even if the label initially looks like it has non-specific information.
This post is related to
“The History of Edward Gerrard and Sons”
“The Legacy of Edward Gerrard and Sons”
“Awards and Medals Won at International Expos”
The clues are on the labels of Edward Gerrard and Sons
Let’s consider the landscape of the era that Gerrard’s were working in to make a judgement of the date of their work if we need to narrow it down, because there were long periods during which Gerrard’s used the same information on their labels.
1851 – After The Great Exhibition of 1851 Edward Gerrard officially started his commercial business, likely from about 1853.
1858 – Edward Gerrard Senior’s son, Edward Gerrard Junior, managed the commercial aspects of the business from about 1858 at the age of about 16yrs. Gerrard Junior is listed on the census of 1861 as a “Naturalist” age 18yrs.
1858-1865 It is anecdotally recorded in historical records relating to the ZSL that Gerrard Junior first commercially used a workshop at nearby King Street, Camden Town. (I have not seen evidence of a label with this address). Logically this must have been between about 1858-1865
1865 – From about 1865 the firm of Edward Gerrard (actually run by Edward Gerrard Junior) leased the Camden Studios (later to become known as The Natural History Studios) at the rear of 61 College Place, Camden Town, London. This is where their masterpieces were made. The studios had a 99 year lease.
1868 – Postcodes were introduced in London earlier than this, but Camden was not assigned N.W. until 1868, so the N.W. postcode is a good indicator of date.
1870 -1900 – The hey day of Taxidermy exports for Gerrard’s private clients – the best cases often contained the internal ivorine label as well as a paper label on the back of the case.
1890 – Edward Gerrard officially became Edward Gerrard & Sons on their labels after many years of working as a family
1917 – The postcode for Camden Town changed from N.W. to N.W.1
1927 – 1935 London telephone number was written NORTH + 4 digits
1935 – 1966 London telephone number was usually written NOR + 4 digits – (however, both forms NORTH and NOR did appear in print). After 1966 all-figure numbering was introduced, but by this time Gerrards had closed its doors.
Ivorine Labels – early period – and reserved for the best work
Gerrard used both paper labels and small ivorine plaques during the early period, and starting in about 1865. This was the date that 61 College Place became the workshop. The ivorine plaques were screwed inside the case. The paper label was stuck on the back.
An example of Gerrard’s best commissioned work for a private client
This cabinet of three Scarlet Ibis is in my own collection.
After much careful research I dated this cabinet to 1877-1882. The Ibis were sourced by Gerrard from the ZSL in 1877 evidenced by records that I personally researched and viewed in the ZSL Death Books. The ebonised cabinet, in two parts, is typical of the showcase type cabinets that Gerrard used for wealthy clients. In this case, the wealthy client was from a high profile Belgian family.
The ivorine label inside the case and the paper label on the back side of the case are a perfect match for its identified period.
Paper Labels
L: A very early paper label Edward Gerrard. Dated after 1868 but before 1890 when the firm became “Edward Gerrard and Sons”
R: Edward Gerrard label Edwardian Period example between 1900 up to 1904. Also note the typeface is typically early Edwardian.
Paper and Fur Labels
L: An early Edwardian paper label of Edward Gerrard. Dated after 1905
R: Edward Gerrard label probably on a fur pre-1917
Paper Labels 1920s-1930s
L: A paper label of Edward Gerrard. Dated between 1927-1935
R: Edward Gerrard label with NW1 postcode and a 4 digit phone number NORTH dates this to 1927 to 1935
Jaguar by Edward Gerrard from the Malmesbury House Collection
circa 1900
A display of the lifecycle of the Currant Moth by Edward Gerrard & Sons.
A cased display of Fox and Cubs by Edward Gerrard & Sons.
Label : NW postcode. Pre-1917
This article is part of the Victorian Taxidermists – Edward Gerrard hub. Back to Edward Gerrard →
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