A Large female leopard skin rug in thick prime winter coat. Complete with serial number ‘38714’ stencilled on the backing canvas, plus on the head mount under the backing canvas is again stencilled the same number.

In Van Ingens own ledgers under ‘38714 the following is listed:
“1. 06 .54 G Lewis, Devon estate, Devarshola, PO Nilgins, ….dispatched on 26. 5. 55….One Panther skin (skull …) ………claw supd & whis supd…HMC”
(an image of this entry will be included in the sale)

Additionally pasted to the underneath on its original canvas backing is ‘Van Ingens’ standard care label.
The rug is complete with a cities article 10 licence. Number 26GBA10B7XTGJ issued to us on 24 06 2026. A copy will be supplied with the sale of this rug.

Provenance: Attached to the rug is an old strip of cloth, handwritten in red ink appertaining to this Leopard as a ‘Man-eater’ however it gets much worse that! This is the infamous child eater, colloquially known as ‘Moon’. “Maneater ‘Moon’ See Letter, first class item, killed 2 children”. Along with the letter mentioned on this cloth label was a small collection of black & white photographs of the hunt, that the vendor (granddaughter of the man who shot it) supplied when they proposed to enter this rug into an antique auction a few years back.

However, the auction house never did put the rug up for auction, and the rug ended up in the auction’s attic. Sometime later the vendor then gifted the auctioneer (not auction house) the rug. The story does not end there as this auction house then closed, and all the paper work or any chance of finding it was lost for ever.
As for documented provenance of it being a Man-Eater all we have today is the old handwritten cloth strip still attached to the rug, and my word, passed down from the auctioneer.

We purchased this rug directly from the auctioneer, where it has been part of his own private collection, again stored in the attic, shielded from the light. It is this direct lineage of ownership that has kept this remarkable Leopards back story intact.

Condition: One side of the Leopards face is faded, and some whiskers are missing, but the overall condition is lovely. On the extremities of the rug are small brass rings stitched, where it was previously displayed ‘wall mounted’ this over the years has helped keep this rug in fine condition, preventing it from being walked on. The rug is original, honest and has not been cleaned or restored.

Notes: Van Ingen & Van Ingen (1890–1999): Located in South India, best known for preserving “shikar” hunting trophies of tiger and leopards in the most lifelike poses for the nobility, including the great British Raj as well as the Maharajahs of India. There work was never bettered in this field and today are highly prized. This rug being a fine, large example of their work and a prized ‘Man-Eater’.

Nose to Tip of tail 2.43 Meters

Ref: 26814