A victorian taxidermy leopard head mount by Rowland Ward

A fantastic, enormous, early example of a taxidermy leopard head mount, unmistakably by top taxidermist Rowland Ward. 

Fully labelled verso, on the characteristic Rowland Ward shield. Dating to c.1880s from the address verso, when game hunting was a popular gentlemanly pursuit. 

This really is an exceptional piece- it’s hard to get across the sheer scale of it. 

Captivating hand painted glass eyes, and a superbly realistic pose capturing all the vitality of the beast. As Rowland Ward wrote of his aims: “My ambition was to begin at that point in taxidermy where the old-school had left off. Instead of merely stuffing the skins of animals with quite a secondary regard to shape, I determined to study nature and adapt it, in connection with modelling, to the taxidermists' art."

A superb, period piece for any wall. You simply will not find better. 

Dimensions:

All approximate

Shield 40cm length x 34cm width 

Height/protrusion 28cm

Metal skull is life size for scale/gent seen is 6ft 

Condition:

Where there are specific points to note we will detail these as far as possible but please be aware that all our items have wear commensurate with age and are as seen in the photographs. If you require any specific information please do not hesitate to get in contact.