Dated 1934.A mixed group comprising: six trilobite in matrix plaster models, dorsal and ventral, with Edwards's identification to the edge; a preparatory sketch for the trilobite with identification of the body parts; pamphlet catalogue of Murby's Maps and Models, with pencil date '1934'; pamphlet catalogue of Murby's Maps and Models for Geology and Palæozoology; pamphlet catalogue of Murby's Maps and Models for Geology and Palæozoology and Physical Geography, with heavy pencil annotation. See Swinton, Dr William Elgin, Monsters of Primeval Days, London, 1931; see also, same author, The Dinosaurs - A Short History of a Great Group of Extinct Reptiles, London, 1934 wherein many of the drawings, models and dioramas created by Edwards are published, described and illustrated (the author at the Natural History Museum, London, 1924-1961 later Director of Life Sciences, Royal Ontario Museum, Canada, died 1994"). 2.6 kg total, models: 20cm (8"). Fine condition; one model abraded, one chipped at corner.From the historic collection of Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd; acquired by Percy Bottley of Gregory, Bottley & Co. in the 1930s; formerly from a historic natural history art collection, the artistic work of palaeontologist, Commander Vernon Edwards. See Swinton, Dr William Elgin, Monsters of Primeval Days, London, 1931; see also, same author, The Dinosaurs - A Short History of a Great Group of Extinct Reptiles, London, 1934 wherein many of the drawings, models and dioramas created by Edwards are published, described and illustrated (the author at the Natural History Museum, London, 1924-1961 later Director of Life Sciences, Royal Ontario Museum, Canada, died 1994").Vernon Edwards is credited as being one of the most talented and influential dinosaur model makers of the 20th century. His work has appeared in museums and galleries around the world; it was a major influence on movie producers and early special effects creators, particularly when films such as The Lost World and King Kong began to showcase dinosaurs as part of the increasingly popular ‘monster movies’ of the 1920's and 30's. Edwards was born in 1891 into a naval family and attended Weymouth College. In 1914 he joined the navy and served throughout World War One; after the war he found it difficult to adjust to civilian life and, among other professions, tried his hand at farming. His greatest passion was model making, being self taught in art and anatomy, and it was whilst staying with family in Sussex in the early 1920's that he met Dr F.A. Bather, Keeper of Geology at the British Museum. Dr. Bather was impressed by the detailed and accurate models that Edwards was producing and asked him to produce a series of prehistoric models for the British Museum (Natural History), now known as the Natural History Museum. Vernon Edwards was given access to the museum's collections and scientific monographs, so the models he produced were up to date reconstructions which were then authenticated by Dr. Bather and later by Dr. W.E. Swinton for scientific accuracy. His major work for the Museum was a series of dioramas which graced the 'Fossil Fish' gallery until the late 1970's.The models proved to be very popular and many museums around the world would order them to highlight their growing and increasingly popular collections of paleontological specimens; the largest collections in the UK can now be found in Bolton Museum and the Horniman Museum, London. At this time Edward’s work would also go on to be used for cigarette cards, as well as appearing in many popular magazines, such as The Illustrated London News and The Listener, but it was the publication of The Dinosaurs: A Short History of a Great Group of Extinct Reptiles, by W.E. Swinton, the first serious dinosaur book ever produced, that would place his work at the forefront of academic and popular imagination.Commercial production of the models was time-consuming, which made the models expensive, so very few were produced other than for museums. Being of plaster they were also fragile, so very few outside well-conserved museum collections survive undamaged. The items in this collection are a selection of original sketches and paintings by Vernon Edwards, master models from which moulds were taken, and stock models produced for sale by Gregory Bottley & Co.M.E. Howgate M.Sc. FLS (Authority on Vernon Edwards) [7 No Reserve]
