Birds and Branches, Delicate 19th C. Pen and Ink Drawing in Period Frame horse cutout Cut of thick pine

Cut of thick pine

I have found a few versions

written much later on in his career

interior of lip measures 6 3/4" across

and feels all of a piece

Birds and Branches, Delicate 19th C. Pen and Ink Drawing in Period Frame horse cutout Cut of thick pineI'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,