{"product_id":"antique-bird-skins-england-ca-1908-birds-of-paradise-little-owls","title":"Antique Bird Skins – England, ca. 1908 – birds‑of‑paradise \u0026 little owls","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe present here an exceptional rarity: \u003cstrong\u003eantique bird skins\u003c\/strong\u003e comprising two \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003elittle owls\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e and two \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003ebirds‑of‑paradise\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e. All specimens originate from an English collection and are preserved in \u003cstrong\u003egood to very good condition\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe fashion of around 1900 was marked by extraordinary opulence, with exotic \u003cstrong\u003eantique bird skins\u003c\/strong\u003e among the most coveted materials in international millinery. Especially prized were the brilliantly colored \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003ebirds‑of‑paradise\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e, imported from New Guinea and the Moluccas and traded through major European centers such as London, Amsterdam, and Hamburg. Sold as “whole skins” or “millinery skins,” they were used to create the dramatic silhouettes of Edwardian picture hats and became symbols of luxury, status, and global fashion culture. Their iridescent plumes, often mounted in full or arranged in striking compositions, embodied the height of \u003cstrong\u003eBelle Époque extravagance\u003c\/strong\u003e. At the same time, the large‑scale trade in paradise birds contributed to the rise of early conservation movements, which by the 1910s increasingly challenged the use of wild birds in luxury adornment.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlongside these spectacular exotics, European \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003elittle owls\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eAthene noctua\u003c\/em\u003e) also appeared in millinery, though far less frequently. Their compact size, distinctive markings, and symbolic associations with mystery and wisdom made them appealing for autumnal and rural hat designs. Käutzchen skins were used as whole mounts, wings, or small taxidermy elements and were marketed as fashionable curiosities within the broader plume trade.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTogether, these \u003cstrong\u003eantique bird skins\u003c\/strong\u003e illustrate the intersection of global wildlife commerce, artistic craftsmanship, and the aesthetic ideals of turn‑of‑the‑century fashion. They reveal both the creative virtuosity of milliners and the cultural tensions that shaped the use of exotic animals in luxury goods on the eve of the First World War.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Antique Gown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58303208096131,"sku":null,"price":800.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0913\/1897\/6899\/files\/01-antique-bird-skins-1908.jpg?v=1782039364","url":"https:\/\/antique-gown.com\/products\/antique-bird-skins-england-ca-1908-birds-of-paradise-little-owls","provider":"ANTIQUE GOWN","version":"1.0","type":"link"}