Special Auction: Original Illustrations of Neave Parker

In collaboration with Job Kwakman - Book and Curio Expert

William Neave Parker dedicated his life to writing a number of books and articles about prehistoric animals. He illustrated animals as well and collected them in a book. One of those illustration books was called the The Story of Mammals. Are you an admirer of Neave Parker's work? Then you are in luck because Catawiki is hosting a special auction with illustrations of the book The Story of Mammals. What makes these illustrations so special? We asked book expert Job Kwakman. 

First of all what makes them so special?

Kwakman: ''The illustrations are so special because the illustrations that are now in the auction are real originals of the book. William Neave Parker spent most of his time working at the Natural History Museum in London. He spent his working life reconstructing dinosaurs, but he made real life illustration of the wildlife as well. Each illustration is seen as a unique piece of art.'' 

How does Parker produce his illustrations?
Kwakman: ''Piece by piece, every illustration is uniquely painted. The paintings are made of watercolour, gouache and pastel."

Which illustrations are the most special in the collection?
Kwakman: ''The illustration which is the most special depends on your own taste, but the size of the illustration and which animal is displayed will have a big impact on the price. The illustration of the initials of each chapter is also very special one because it contains every handwritten proof and editorial documentation. The illustration is the index of the book and tells where you can find every illustration, but each illustration tells its own story in the book of The Story of Mammals as well, which makes every piece unique in its own way."

Which illustrations do you think will be valuable in the future?
Kwakman: ''I expect that the illustrations with great mammals, such as the grey wolf or the fighting bears, will have a higher interest than the smaller ones, such as the squirrel, the mouse, or the rat. But you never know for sure. The moose or whale illustrations could surprise us as well."

Every illustration of Neave Parker's book can be found in our special themed auction. So, bid away to get your hands on a unique piece of art!