Circa 1930 British Folk Art Champion Racing Pigeons Oil Painting

Details

Description

Circa 1930 British Folk Art Champion Racing Pigeons Oil Painting
Old Badge Hen & Holley Brothers Trophy Portrait with Original … Read more Circa 1930 British Folk Art Champion Racing Pigeons Oil Painting
Old Badge Hen & Holley Brothers Trophy Portrait with Original Sporting Inscriptions
Attributed to J. Brown | Curated Auctions London & Museum Exhibition Provenance

Highlights
• Striking British sporting folk art
• Rare double racing-pigeon composition
• Attributed to J. Brown
• Named breeding hen Old Badge Hen
• Holley Brothers racing cock
• Original hand-painted sporting inscriptions
• Whitley Bay 1909 result recorded
• Strong blue, slate, charcoal and earth palette
• Substantial carved period frame
• London provenance and museum exhibition history

Introduction
A visually arresting British sporting painting combining the graphic character of folk art with an extraordinary amount of historic detail.
Old Badge Hen occupies the lower left, her chequered plumage contrasting with the blue-grey racing cock positioned upon a rocky ledge at right. Behind them, a luminous blue sky and soft clouds lend the composition an expansive decorative quality.

Catalogue Details
Artist: Attributed to J. Brown
Origin: England
Period: Early 20th century
Date: Circa 1930
Medium: Oil on board
Signature: Unsigned
Painting: approximately 44 × 41 cm / 17.3 × 16.1 inches
Framed: approximately 57 × 52 × 2.5 cm / 22.4 × 20.5 × 1 inch

Catalogue Note
The inscriptions are central to the painting's identity.
Old Badge Hen is named directly and commemorated as the dam and grand-dam of successful racing birds, with references to Perth, Buxton and Craven Arms.
The companion cock is associated with Messrs Holley Brothers and a painted competitive record beginning with “1st Whitley Bay 09”, followed by “1st Pool”, “2nd Tynmth” and “5th Perth”, together with further references to Banff and Trehafod.
This documentary character gives the painting appeal far beyond pigeon-racing memorabilia. It sits naturally within British folk art, sporting art and social history, while the bold birds and substantial frame give it strong decorative presence.

The Artist
Attributed to J. Brown, British, early 20th century.
The attribution is based upon comparison with the recognisable group of racing-pigeon paintings associated with Brown, characterised by direct naive modelling, individually differentiated plumage and extensive handwritten sporting inscriptions.
The work is unsigned.

Dating
Early 20th century, circa 1930.
The Whitley Bay 1909 inscription is understood as part of the cock's historic racing record rather than an execution date.
Provenance
Private London-based pigeon fancier collection.
Curated Auctions, London, 6 December 2024, Lot 370.
Acquired and subsequently curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.

Exhibition History
Privately loaned and exhibited at the Famous Lord Hill Museum, Shropshire.

Dimensions
Painting approximately 44 × 41 cm / 17.3 × 16.1 inches.
Framed approximately 57 × 52 × 2.5 cm / 22.4 × 20.5 × 1 inch.


Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution
The artwork will be supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®, recording the artwork’s catalogue details, attribution, provenance as stated, and details of the sale. This document accompanies the work as part of its ongoing ownership and provenance record.

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