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Highly important carved wooden kangaroo, circa 1800, a large…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Melbourne
Date:
28-Nov-2020
Lot No.
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Description:
Highly important carved wooden kangaroo, circa 1800, a large upright standing primitively carved kangaroo, circa 1790 - 1810, 102 cm tall., Displayed at the British antique Dealers' at Olympia in 1982 by Jellinek & Sampson of Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, the kangaroo was dated by them and described as being chipped from a block of pinus sylvestrus. The J & S stock always included a large number of early carvings and they were considered highly knowledgeable and respected dealers in the field., Who made it and how' the type of wood, which has been confirmed, is typical of timber which would have been found in a ship's carpenter's workroom in the late eighteenth century. There are traces of the original polychrome on the eyes and part of the tail has been replaced. Further analysis suggests that the piece is carved from several smaller pieces of the timber which have then been joined together. It is further suggested that this might confirm it's creation at sea by someone using offcuts or otherwise without access to a single large block of the timber. It was probably done on the homeward journey from Botany bay, either from memory or by reference to a live example which might have been acquired by a ship's Captain for resale in London to an animal dealer. (there is evidence of kangaroos being sold under these circumstances for £5 at Sydney cove and when Governor Phillip returned to England in 1792 five kangaroos were included in his miniature menagerie aboard the Atlantic.), the kangaroo made the return journey to Australia in early 1983, where it was included in the E.J. Aingers Australiana auction conducted over the Anzac day weekend in April of that year. The catalogue was written by Toby and Juliana Hooper and the lot was featured in an article in 'The Australiana Society Newsletter' of that month. We believe Marvin Hurnell acquired the almost life-size carving at the auction and he was delighted to include it in his private collection for the next three decades.
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Unclassified