Victorian domed taxidermy Monal Pheasant by Peter Spicer
An unusual high-quality domed Monal Pheasant by Peter Spicer is discovered in an auction in the USA
This beautiful taxidermy Monal Pheasant by Peter Spicer was discovered in the USA by the proprietors of The Trice Castle, who collect Victorian and Edwardian artefacts and have renovated and preserved an important historic family home and opened it up for a tour experience for others to enjoy.
The Monal pheasant is on display at The Trice Castle in Kentucky now.
(Photo credits: Jamie Finch)
A unique piece
The dome is Victorian, dated about 1880, and it’s special because not only is it by Peter Spicer, but its setting is custom-made, and this author and the community of taxidermy enthusiasts have never seen an example like this in its domed setting by Spicer.
A remarkable survivor
A remarkable survivor
It survived the perils of travel over the Atlantic from Britain to the USA at some point, and its condition has endured into the 21st century.
Monals originally came from the Himalayas, brought back to England by explorers and naturalists at the height of the age of scientific discovery in the mid to late 19th century.
It would have been sent by a wealthy client to Spicers in Leamington, England, to be mounted, and the dome and the setting would have been made to the client’s budget.
It obviously found its way across the ocean at a later time and whether it went with its original owner or was sold or inherited, we will never know.
Peter Spicer's style
The elite taxidermists of Britain can usually be identified by the style of their case. In Peter Spicer’s case his style is quite unique, and he produced some of the most memorable and visually attractive cases of all which are still sought after today. Spicer isn’t really known for producing work in domes; he’s more acknowledged for his fabulous picture scene cases which are ultra collectible today.
In creating enduring cases, the choice of the backdrops and the scenery of the tableaux is as important as the quality of the taxidermy within. The groundwork and the setting need to be artistically arranged as well as having integrity when it comes to the natural setting.
Spicer’s standard rectangular and square cases always have glass sides, and the front panel is secured with gilted half-circular quadrant beading (Frost 1981).
Peter Spicer the Artist
Peter Spicer the Artist
Peter Spicer was an artist and painted all of the scenic backgrounds for the cases himself.
These scenic backgrounds are the most distinctive feature of his cases and they’re instantly recognisable today.
The period between 1904 when the firm became “Peter Spicer & Sons” up to the first world war is considered to be the height of the quality of the firm’s pictorial taxidermy case output.
We notice how the paintings of the natural surroundings of the creatures within the cases are very “subtle” without dominant features that would overtake the effect of the mounts themselves.
The firm also produced thousands of Fox, Otter and Badger masks and head mounts on wooden shields. Spicer’s Fox heads are very distinctive with the formation around the nose being particularly precise and characterful.
The holy grail for collectors of Spicer would be the picture scene cases from the early 20th century, like “The Coniston Fox” or the “Boxing Badger Cubs”.
Equally, a unique domed example like this Monal Pheasant would be a unique trophy piece in any collection.
This author is enamoured by the important collectible example of this Otter in a beautiful case.
Maybe one day…
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