Bones from the most famous of all extinct birds come for sale as part of our Out of the Ordinary sale on February 15 & 16.
20 January 2022
The femur and phalanx bone from the dodo, the flightless species that died out in Mauritius around 330 years ago, are expected to make £3,000-4,000.
The dodo, a member of the pigeon family had thrived on Mauritius until the Dutch colonised the island in 1638. Hunted for sport and further threatened by the arrival of alien species such as rats, dogs, cats, and pigs, it was thought to have become extinct before 1690. It is one of the first occasions that man realised that human actions alone could cause a species to die out.
THE DODO,
before 1690, Mauritius, a set of Dodo femur and phalanx bones,
leg bone 7.5cm long
toe bone 4cm long
£3,000-4,000
The dodo bones on offer - a 7.5cm leg bone and a 4cm toe bone - are from a group of dodo bones discovered in 1885 during the investigation of the Mare aux Songes swamp in Mauritius by local schoolmaster George Clarke. Hearing that a few old dodo bones had been found in this area, Clarke hired local servants to wade through the mud and feel for further bones with their feet.
The Fine Interiors department feel privileged to offer for sale a private collection of Antiquities in our 19 & 20 March sale, from the estate of the late Sir Clinton Charles Donald Cory, 5th Baronet of Coryton.
14 March 2024
In 2024 we celebrate the centenary of the birth of sculptor and printmaker Eduardo Paolozzi. Widely believed to be a pioneer of the Pop Art movement in Britain, Paolozzi’s work reflects his interest in the influence of popular culture and the mass media on everyday life.
13 March 2024
We are very pleased to present a series of English pottery char dishes collected by Keith Elliott, the Founder and Editor of Classic Angling, the world’s leading magazine devoted to antique and classic tackle.
12 March 2024