An entomological collection of 25 irreplaceable exotic...

Beautiful lot of 25 mounted day-fly species from the famous Vestergaard collection - A museum-worthy selection in an original museum drawer with glass cover (40.00 by 30.00 cm) This collection was assembled in the 1970s-1990s by the renowned entomologist Vestergaard during expeditions in Central Africa. It mainly concerns Afrotropical Nymphalidae from Cameroon, Zaire/DRC, Uganda and Kenya, supplemented with a few Indo-Australian and European species. All specimens professionally prepared, with intact antennae and wings. Condition: A1- / A2, light signs of aging. Here is the identification per specimen, from left to right, row by row from top to bottom: Row 1: 1. Euphaedra xypete xypete - Orange Forest Nymph - Cameroon. Large, orange with black apex and white subapical spots. 2. Phyciodes / Chlosyne sp. - Little Pearly Eye - West Africa. Rare small specimen, orange-brown blocky pattern. 3. Charaxes imperialis - Emperor Charaxes - Central Africa. Deep black with electric blue bands. Highly sought after!!! 4. Euphaedra medon - White-banded Forest Nymph - DRC. Dark brown with broad white median bands. 5. Zerene cesonia / Colias electo - Yellow Lemontop - East Africa. Bright lemon yellow with black edge and central dot. Row 2: 6. Bicyclus mollitia / Pseudargynnis sp. - Brown Butterfly Owl - Uganda. Camouflage brown, underside marbled. 7. Appias sabina - Albatross Butterfly - Central Africa. Pure white with brown-black wing tips. 8. Eurema brigitta / Catopsilia florella - African Orange Tips - Widespread Africa. Radiant sulphur yellow. 9. Charaxes candiope - Green-veined Emperor - East Africa. Orange with double tails on hindwing, dark rim. 10. Charaxes eupale - Green Charaxes - West Africa. Metallic turquoise-blue with black edges. Showpiece !!!! Row 3: 11. Euphaedra edwardsii / Bebearia zonara - Gold-banded Forest Nymph - Cameroon. Black with broad orange bands. Vivid colors. 12. Euploea / Tanaecia pelea - Blue-bordered Satin - Central Africa. Velvety black with white speckles and blue submarginal eye-like spots. 13. Bebearia sophus - Orange-brown Forest Nymph - West Africa. Small, warm orange with fine brown markings. 14. Atacama? / Euphaedra? 15. Papilio charopus / Papilio bromius - Green Swallowtail - Africa. Black with white / green edge spots and serrated wings. Row 4: 16. Catacroptera cloanthe / Atella? - Creamy-banded - Africa. Creme with brown spotted band. 17. Parantica / Ideopsis vulgaris - Glassy Tiger - Southeast Asia - Remarkable. An Asian species among Africans, translucent white with black veining and white spots. Proof of Vestergaard's broad collecting interest. 18. Euthalia / Euphaedra judith - Purple Euthalia - Central Africa. Almost black with deep purple sheen. 19. Little green / Belenois sp. - Pieris - Africa. Very light greenish white, small. 20. Euphaedra harpalyce / Euphaedra edwardsii - Red-spotted Forest Nymph - Cameroon. Dark brown with white bands above and red/black eye spots below. Row 5: 21. Arhopala / Euphaedra cyparissa? / Evenus - Blue Forest Elf - Central Africa. Dark with intense cobalt blue band. 22. Vanessa atalanta - Red Admiral - Europe / North Africa. Iconic black with orange band and white spots. 23. Apatura ilia f. clytie - Small White Admiral - Europe / Palearctic. Brown with white bands, in certain angles striking purple-blue. Rare !!!! 24. Moduza procris / Euthalia sp. - Commander - Asia. Brown with white commander bands and eye spots. 25. Cymothoe sangaris - Blood-red Commander - Central Africa. Stunning blood red with dark purple edge. One of the most sought Cymothoe species !!!! Why this lot is unusually rare: This is NOT a standard trade item. It is an authentic historic lot from the Vestergaard Collection, which has not returned to the market for more than 30 years. 1. Diversity and rarity: 25 specimens with no less than 15 different genera - from the highly prized blue Charaxes (imperialis, eupale) to the red Cymothoe sangaris, the purple Apatura and the Asian Ideopsis. Such a broad genus mix in one drawer cannot be found anymore. 2. Afrotropical top material: The large forests Nymphalids (Euphaedra, Bebearia) and Charaxes are nowadays extremely difficult to obtain legally due to deforestation in West Africa and strict export bans (CITES, Cameroon / DRC). Specimens from before 1990 like these are exempt and have tremendously increased in value. 3. Condition and presentation: All 25 have been mounted by hand, symmetrically, in an original wooden entomological museum drawer. Perfect for a museum, study, or luxury interior. An original museum drawer with 25 different exotic butterflies, all professionally prepared and kept together, will never be offered again. We have received 100 new Vestergaard museum drawers!!! Again a very large complete scientific insect collection. Provenance Vestergaard / Gyulai and several other national and international entomologists. We will auction this collection again without minimum prices on Catawiki, so keep an eye on my offers. Pickup is preferred due to the fragility. If you buy multiple boxes, we can arrange personal delivery. When shipping, we will pack the boxes carefully and very well. Although all insects are mounted securely on pins, there is always a small chance of damage. Therefore shipping is at your own risk. We have shipped more than 80 boxes so far and almost all have arrived well, except for a single pinned butterfly that fell. Handled with great care and shipped insured.

Estimate:£166.85

View all items fromCatawikiorEthnographical