Silver and Blue Ice pigeons - breeds which originated in Saxony, eastern Germany, and Silesia, Poland - painted by British artist Joseph W Ludlow (1840-1916) for the rare 'Illustrated Book of Pigeons with Standards for Judging' written by Robert Fulton and also known as 'Cassell's Pigeon Book'. It was first published in 1876 with 50 chromolithograph illustrations by Ludlow.
Two varieties of Ice pigeon, a breed originally from eastern Germany and western Poland, painted by British artist Joseph Williamson Ludlow for a rare volume first published in 1876: 'The Illustrated Book of Pigeons with Standards for Judging'. Ludlow depicted the birds - a Silver and a Blue - standing in a coop or loft. Ice pigeons, named after their 'ice-blue' colour, were developed over centuries of selective breeding, at first in Saxony and Silesia. There are now several varieties, differing in the type and colour of their wing patterns and some with feathered feet, as on these two birds. Many Ice pigeons appear to be very light in colour, thanks to abundant powder down covering their entire plumage in whitish dust. Ice pigeons tend to calm and gentle by nature and are popular both as show birds and as pets. Joseph W Ludlow (1840-1916) specialised in portraying domestic birds, including various types of poultry. This artwork was one of 50 he painted to be reproduced as chromolithographs for 'The Illustrated Book of Pigeons'. The volume was published by Cassell, Petter and Galpin and is alternatively known as 'Cassell's Pigeon Book'. It was written by Robert Fulton and edited by Lewis Wright. The book ran to nearly 400 pages, providing pigeon fanciers with a comprehensive guide to breeding and raising fancy and ornamental birds. It sold well over several editions and is still regarded as a useful reference work. However, complete examples in good condition with all of the pages and colour plates intact are now very rare.
Size: 8311px × 4674px
Location: 'The Illustrated Book of Pigeons' by Robert Fulton, illustrated by Joseph Williamson Ludlow (1876)
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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