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Post by nomad on Jan 16, 2016 12:07:27 GMT
In Cornwall in South-west England, there lived a butterfly collector, Mr Smith who in his younger days collected British Butterflies and moths and kept them in a 20 drawer cabinet. Mr Smith also had a collection of exotics which he kept in one 15 drawer cabinet. Pride of place among his World butterflies was his small collection of birdwings, most of which were obtained before the days of butterfly farmers and he would tell you that they were then very hard to get hold of and several remain so today, being legally protected. Mr Smith regarded his prized birdwings as the ultimate butterflies and unlike many collections with serial ranks of specimens, he added some very nice personal information with his best specimens. Like all butterfly collectors, Mr Smith got old and unfortunately like many, it brought illness and he was unable to look after his collection. His son although aware the the collection contained valuable specimens including several examples of the extinct Lycena dispar dispar, followed his fathers wishes and gave them to a regional museum, where they will be well cared for, their first point of call will be a freezer which can go below -30 degrees. When I opened the drawers, so strong was the camphor oil it make my eyes smart, but it had successfully deterred any dermestids. In Smith's cabinet drawers, I was surprised to find a large pair of O. alexandrae. The male although set with its wings quite low down was a large specimen. Smith had added that A.S. Meek had discovered O. alexandrae in 1895 but his great discovery was during1906. The O. alexandrae specimens were collected in 1970 at Popondetta.
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Post by wollastoni on Jan 16, 2016 13:13:03 GMT
Splendid alexandrae pair ! Good to see that the son has done the right thing and didn't let dermestids destroy the work of his father.
What is Mr Smith first name ?
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Post by nomad on Jan 16, 2016 16:09:49 GMT
This was the collection of Frank Smith. He had a nice specimen of the exquisite Ornithoptera paradisea that is labelled as the nominate. The data label records that this male O. paradisea was caught in the Torricelli Mountains during 1971, so some would regard this specimen as subspecies borchi but does that taxon show any real differences to the nominate to be regarded as a separate subspecies? Has anyone more information on the Butterfly Centre at Tenterden in Kent that existed in the 1970s and does anyone recall John Muirhead that Mr Smith obtained these birdwings from. Has anyone heard of that Naturalist's shop in Turin, Northern Italy where Mr Smith saw pairs of O.alexandrae and O. paradisea in the 1970s.
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Post by nomad on Jan 16, 2016 18:41:24 GMT
I can remember a time in the early 1970's when O. goliath was valued higher than O. alexandrae. It was in the late 1970s that high densities of birdwings were found in the Arfak Mountains. Even at that time before they were farmed, a pair of O. samson samson Niepelt, 1913 = joiceyi Noakes & Talbot 1916 would cost you around 200 pounds and I expect Mr Smith remembered those times. Even so, 10 pounds for a goliath male in 1995 was very cheap. I expect it made his day.
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Post by trehopr1 on Jan 16, 2016 23:20:34 GMT
Love this article Nomad ! I'd say that Mr. Smith had a pretty nice collection of birdwings given the fact that all were acquired before the farming days. Their condition is really quite nice which tells me the man had a good eye for nice specimens. I've actually seen worst looking specimens in more modern day collections. That photo from Robert Gooden's book really brings back fond memories. Just as you lamented that one photo of those three beauties at the end of the book really stoked the fires of one day owning all three. In my case, I've thus far only managed one really nice example of O. Goliath procus. Still longing to acquire the other two. However, over the years I've just never been able to find really nice examples of the other two. I have found people willing to part with lesser examples than their best --- but, they also look the lesser part and that won't suit me so I do without. I liked several photo's in Gooden's book so much I now have 5 copies. One will probably be used to frame up some of my favorite pages (like the 3 beauty queens shown above in your post).
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Post by nomad on Jan 17, 2016 8:33:44 GMT
Mr Goodden's book came out before that of Paul Smarts. Although a slim volume, it gave a really good representation of the butterflies from the different fauna areas. Goodden, a well known dealer and breeder at Over Compton, Sherborne in Dorset, had his book published in both North America and in the U.K.
I never did acquire O. alexandrae, I missed the last few sold by Paul Smart and then as soon as it became legally protected, prices rocketed upwards for the older specimens. I was never prepared to pay silly prices that some collectors would by buying illegal black market specimens of O. alexandrae, I did not want to own a pair, if I had to pay rich men's prices and give my money to some shady character, I did not want anything illegal in my collection.
Goodden's book is also where I saw live Delias images for the first time. One that stood out is the image of Delias sagessa feeding at a damp spot in a remote area of New Guinea.
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Post by wollastoni on Jan 17, 2016 10:19:19 GMT
Can we see this live picture of Delias sagessa ?
Live pictures of this species are rare indeed. This is a picture from Brian Thistleton on the Delias website, that could be named "Red dots and lightening in the night" :
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Post by deliasfanatic on Jan 17, 2016 15:13:22 GMT
I remember this book and photos. I still have it somewhere - I haven't looked at it in years.
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Post by mothman27 on May 2, 2016 11:46:51 GMT
Great article!
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Post by nomad on Dec 2, 2017 12:01:41 GMT
I have updated this thread, the text and added better images, as I believe Frank Smith's notes that accompany his birdwings, not only give us the personal touch but give us an insight into the golden age of private collecting when the ordinary enthusiast could at last purchase these most magnificent of butterflies. Smith's notes are therefore historically important because before the 1960s, birdwings were the preserve of the wealthy. Smith was clearly more than thankful to own such splendid specimens when they were still not easy to obtain, usually expensive and just like most collectors, there was a limited amount of money to spend on what others might consider luxury items. This thread is connected with Frank Smith's butterflies where you can see a wonderful genuine specimen of O. priamus miokensis, a real rarity. collector-secret.proboards.com/thread/1505/frank-smiths-butterfliesI will add a some furthers posts to both threads, but probably should have just created one to encompass all the posts regarding Smith's collection. Here is another special birdwing that Smith had in his collection, a female specimen of the nominate Ornithoptera meridionalis.
Smith have added these notes to this specimen " Mrs R.H. Morgan of Auckland New Zealand offered me this female O. Meridionalis from the Brown River area west of Port Moresby for £15 pounds in 1969. Wholesale destruction by logging of the rainforest there, where this species had been well established but elusive began soon after that date".
I believe some members here certainly remember Mrs Morgan.
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Post by nomad on Dec 2, 2017 12:24:55 GMT
Ornithoptera priamus poseidon f. brunneus
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Post by trehopr1 on Dec 2, 2017 17:07:36 GMT
I enjoy finding things like these here and there in old collections -- before the days of full blown breeding. I have about 10 pretty decent ones dating from the 60's - early 70's. A couple Victoria males, and a Tithonus male make up the highlights of the things I've found among the remaining various Priamus. Have yet to find a Chimaera but, could have had a glorious pair of Alexandrea if I could of come up with the 3800 bucks asking price at the time. Never got em' and they were a nice pair ! ! I still kick myself for having missed out on that pair.
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Post by deliasfanatic on Dec 2, 2017 18:45:01 GMT
I very well remember (and still have, in fact) The Butterfly Company's catalogue for 1971-72, which listed perfect pairs of alexandrae at US $150...A2 pairs for $100 !
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Post by bobw on Dec 2, 2017 18:52:32 GMT
I very well remember (and still have, in fact) The Butterfly Company's catalogue for 1971-72, which listed perfect pairs of alexandrae at US $150...A2 pairs for $100 ! I remember a Saruman (Paul Smart) catalogue from the 70s. I can't remember the exact prices but I'm pretty sure that O. alexandrae was £98 per pair and all victoriae ssps were about £25 per pair. Conversely, O. croesus lydius and rothschildi were about £750 per pair!
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Post by Paul K on Dec 2, 2017 21:47:59 GMT
I very well remember (and still have, in fact) The Butterfly Company's catalogue for 1971-72, which listed perfect pairs of alexandrae at US $150...A2 pairs for $100 ! I remember a Saruman (Paul Smart) catalogue from the 70s. I can't remember the exact prices but I'm pretty sure that O. alexandrae was £98 per pair and all victoriae ssps were about £25 per pair. Conversely, O. croesus lydius and rothschildi were about £750 per pair! Wow! Really...rothschildi cheaper than alexandrae ?
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