A Fantastic Early 20thC Mounted Taxidermy Fox Mask Dated to 1916

Origin: Early Twentieth Century
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1916
Shield Height: 11 inches
Shield Width: 9 inches
Depth (with Head): 10 inches

Offering Philip the fox, preserved in excellent condition considering his age, mounted upon a good quality shaped shield with hand-painted script: “Found At Orange Hays…Killed At Chartley Park, Jan 6th 1916.’

Philip was the only food critic in foxdom in the early twentieth century that was worth his salt. During his sixties Philip was enjoying his traditional Christmas / New Years break at the exclusive Chartley Park hotel in Orange Hays Staffordshire, and dined on his last night on his favourite seafood dinner of oysters. However all was not well. After 11 potential life-saving operations it was his favourite seafood that killed him. His terrifying battle with death was sealed after contracting Vibrio vulnificus, a rare warm-water bug which can be found in oysters and can often kill people in less than 32 hours.

Whilst the tale of Philip is tragic, he was preserved upon this shield to uphold his honour of being the most incisive, insightful and magisterial food critic the animal world has ever seen. His most damming and famous review still resonates; "The reception and bar area look like the sort of place where Russian Mafioso peacocks and Japanese business moles might choose their hookers" (Le Lapin, Mayfair).