Doe and Hope

Description

The preserved little auk (Alle alle), posed upon a naturalistic setting of a rocky outcrop with grasses to a sky blue sky, presented in its original wooden lantern shaped case with sloping top being glazed on three sides, the borders being lined in paper to imitate an exotic wood, the whole surviving from the zeniths of Victorian period England.

The specimen is presented in good condition considering the age. The entire composition and dome only show wear commensurate with age and an expected fade to the plumage. There are some small losses to the case edgings and some small water marks to the upper sky.

The name little Auk immediately reminds people of the extinct Great Auk. Appropriately just as the Great Auk was the largest member of the Auk family, so the Little Auk is the smallest. Little auks produce a variety of twitters and cackling calls at the breeding colonies, but are silent at sea. It is a difficult species to find good antique specimens of.

A very sweet piece of antique taxidermy that has the advantage of being able to be wall mounted or tabletop displayed.