Attributed to Henry Ward London. Circa 1870.
A large and important dome that would have been pride of place in a fine Victorian home. The birds of paradise mounted above a much-coveted Magnificent Riflebird (this bird hardly ever turns up for sale, and is far more elusive than the more popular Paradise Rifle bird which is what normally turns up in a Victorian case of taxidermy). Unlabeled.

79cm High x 55cm Wide.

Ref: 26788

Condition: To be fair the Count Raggi’s birds of paradise are not perfect and are slightly faded, but never the less this is still an important and spectacular example of Victorian taxidermy. The gilded base still retains its original gilt finish and ceramic bun feet. The dome spectacular in size and presence, is original and still in one piece.

The Raggiana Bird of Paradise is the national bird of Papua New Guinea and is included on the national flag. The Raggiana Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea raggiana), also known as Count Raggi’s bird-of-paradise, is a large bird in the bird-of-paradise family Paradisaeidae. It is distributed widely in southern and northeastern New Guinea, where its known colloquially as kumul. As requested by Count Luigi Maria D’Albertis, the epithet raggiana commemorates the Marquis Francesco Raggi of Genoa.

The Magnificent Riflebird (Ptiloris magnificus) is also in the birds-of-paradise family Paradisaeidae. They are widely distributed throughout lowland rainforests of western New Guinea and the northern Cape York Peninsula of Australia. The Magnificent Riflebird was formally described in 1819 by the French ornithologist Louis Vieillot under the binomial name Falcinellus magnificus. It is now placed in the genus Ptiloris that was introduced in 1825 by the English naturalist William Swainson. The common name “riflebird” comes from the likeness of their black velvety plumage to the uniform of the British Army Rifle Brigade.

For more information on Birds of Paradise see ‘Drawn from Paradises’ by David Attenborough & Errol Fuller illustrated by Ray Ching. Published 2012.