Birds and Branches, Delicate 19th C. Pen and Ink Drawing in Period Frame horse cutout scissors to sleds

scissors to sleds

I have found a few versions

so was very happy to find a group of five of them this weekend in New Hampshire

interior of lip measures 6 3/4" across

written much later on in his career

Birds and Branches, Delicate 19th C. Pen and Ink Drawing in Period Frame horse cutout scissors to sledsI'm always tempted by Spencerian drawings of birds, found on Victorian calling cards and in autograph albums, but this one, rendered in red and black ink, is earlier than most of those, and how lovely perched on exuberantly branching, delicately leaf dotted branches in dark green, with sprig in beak, too. Plus this awkward, second partial one with a very eagle like eye at bottom! Cut down salvaged from a larger drawing or page at some point I presume,