Lee Wright Antiques and Interiors

Description

An Attractive and Interesting Set of Nine 19th Century Display Boxes Full of Butterfly Specimens.

Housed in nine ebonised trays with wall hanging fittings, these butterfly specimens are highly decorative. Collections of this sort were formed by connoisseur collectors in the 19th century as an interest in natural history became more widespread.

Some of the specimens contained in these displays include the king swallowtail, found exclusively in North and South America, the Ulysses butterfly from Australasia, the rusty tipped page and the blushing phantom. The presence of these exotic specimens show that the collection belonged either to someone who had travelled widely in search of such pieces or someone with links to the scientific community who could call upon friends to bring specimens back to Britain for mounting.