Victorian Painting Quorn Hunt Tom Firr Up Grey Signed Basil Nightingale C1895





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Description


Basil Nightingale Quorn Hunt Sporting Watercolour 1895
“Hare Seeds, Gentlemen!” — Huntsman on a Grey Horse

Large Signed Victorian Fox Hunting & Equestrian Painting, Traditionally Identified as Tom Firr

Highlights
• Original Victorian hunting watercolour signed and dated Basil Nightingale, 1895.
• Large sporting picture depicting a Quorn huntsman sounding his horn from a grey horse.
• The rider is traditionally identified as the renowned professional huntsman Tom Firr.
• Features the period inscription “Hare Seeds Gentleman! Hare seeds!”
• Further inscribed “With the Quorn — a sketch from memory.”
• Painted in watercolour, gouache and opaque bodycolour with white highlights.
• Detailed study of Victorian hunting dress, horse anatomy, bridle and tack.
• Recently conservation framed in a Larson-Juhl gilt moulding.
• Fitted with Artglass AR70 anti-reflective glazing providing approximately 70% UV protection.
• Impressive 99 cm framed width, ideal for a country house, study or sporting collection.

Introduction
A striking signed Victorian sporting watercolour showing a mounted huntsman of the Quorn Hunt calling through his horn from the back of a powerful grey hunter.

Painted by Basil Nightingale and dated 1895, the rider is traditionally identified as Tom Firr, one of the best-known professional huntsmen associated with the Quorn. The sitter’s identity has not been conclusively documented, and the traditional identification is therefore presented as a considered but non-guaranteed professional opinion.

The handwritten title records the memorable cry “Hare Seeds Gentleman! Hare seeds!” The additional wording “With the Quorn — a sketch from memory” suggests that the artist was recalling an incident witnessed in the hunting field.

Strong colour, accomplished horse painting and a genuine narrative element make this considerably more than a conventional Victorian hunting scene. Recently reframed with conservation materials and anti-reflective museum glass, it is ready for immediate display.

Catalogue Details
Artist: Basil Nightingale
Title: “Hare Seeds, Gentlemen! Hare Seeds!” — With the Quorn Hunt
Date: 1895
Medium: Watercolour, Gouache and Bodycolour Heightened with White
Support: Paper
Subject: Quorn Huntsman Mounted on a Grey Hunter
Sitter: Traditionally Identified as Tom Firr (1847–1910)
Period: Late Victorian
Signature: Signed and dated Basil Nightingale, 1895, lower right
Inscription: “Hare Seeds Gentleman! Hare seeds!” and “With the Quorn — a sketch from memory”
Frame: Recent Larson-Juhl Gilt Frame
Glazing: Artglass AR70 Anti-Reflective Museum Glass

Description
Nightingale places the huntsman and grey horse at the centre of the picture, giving the mounted figure an immediate sense of authority.

The rider holds a hunting horn to his mouth while maintaining a balanced, upright position in the saddle. This combination of controlled horsemanship and active communication identifies him as a working huntsman responsible for directing the hounds rather than a gentleman simply following the field.

The phrase “Hare Seeds” appears to record the huntsman’s warning that the pack had temporarily changed from the intended fox line to the scent of a hare. It captures a precise event and introduces a documentary quality rarely found in more general hunting pictures.

The artist has paid close attention to the horse’s physical structure. The grey is shown with a strong shoulder, substantial girth, clean legs and a carefully flexed head. Its lifted foreleg creates a feeling of controlled forward movement.

Small, precise strokes describe the bridle, reins, saddle and rider’s clothing. Broader washes across the surrounding ground keep the setting open and atmospheric.

Touches of opaque white model the grey’s body and illuminate the huntsman’s breeches. The brilliant scarlet coat provides a strong focal point against the restrained ochre and earth-coloured background.

The Quorn Hunt
The Quorn is one of England’s oldest and most historically important fox hunts. Founded in 1696, it became internationally associated with the fast and demanding pasture country of Leicestershire.

By the late nineteenth century, the Quorn attracted aristocrats, military officers and prominent sporting riders from Britain and overseas. Its large fields, skilled huntsmen and challenging fences made it an important subject for painters and illustrators of equestrian life.

This picture was produced in 1895, during the height of the Victorian enthusiasm for hunting and sporting art. Its named hunt, dated signature and description of a specific field incident give it greater historical interest than an unidentified generic hunting scene.

Traditional Identification as Tom Firr
The huntsman is traditionally identified as Thomas “Tom” Firr (1847–1910), a highly respected professional associated with the Quorn Hunt.

Firr became renowned for his knowledge of hounds, calm judgement and ability to cross difficult Leicestershire country. Contemporary sporting culture regarded him as one of the leading huntsmen of his generation.

The date of 1895, explicit Quorn inscription, professional hunting dress, raised horn and authoritative central position support this traditional identification.

However, no accompanying documentary evidence definitively confirms the sitter’s identity. The identification as Tom Firr is therefore recorded as a traditional, non-guaranteed attribution and should not be regarded as an established statement of fact.

About Basil Nightingale
Basil Nightingale was a British artist and illustrator known for sporting, equestrian and military subjects during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

His horse paintings reveal a practical understanding of equine anatomy, movement, saddlery and riding posture. Rather than treating the horse as a purely decorative element, he constructed it with a convincing sense of weight and physical power.

Nightingale contributed illustrations to publications including The Graphic and The Illustrated London News. His clear narrative style was well suited to recording sporting personalities and events.

Works connected with documented hunts remain particularly popular among collectors of British equestrian and country-house art.

Signature & Inscription
Signed and dated at the lower right:

Basil Nightingale, 1895

Inscribed at the upper right:

“Hare Seeds Gentleman! Hare seeds!”

“With the Quorn — a sketch from memory”

The signature and date are clearly visible and establish the work as an original late Victorian sporting watercolour by Nightingale.

Frame & Glazing
The painting has recently been professionally reframed in a quality Larson-Juhl gilt moulding.

It is displayed with an ivory-white mount and narrow gold slip, chosen to complement the muted landscape and bright scarlet hunting coat.

The Artglass AR70 glazing significantly reduces reflections and provides approximately 70% ultraviolet protection. This improves visibility while helping to protect the historic pigments and paper from continued light exposure.

The frame is fitted and ready to hang.

Provenance
Private Collection, United Kingdom.

Mellors & Kirk, Nottingham, Fine Art, Antiques & Collectors Sale, December 2025.

Prometheus Antiques, United Kingdom.

Previously displayed in a private exhibition at the Famous Lord Hill Museum.

Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.

Measurements
Artwork / Sheet
Height: Approximately 47 cm / 18.50 inches
Width: Approximately 66 cm / 25.98 inches

Overall Framed Size
Height: 80.5 cm / 31.69 inches
Width: 99 cm / 38.98 inches
Depth: 4.5 cm / 1.77 inches

The large 99 cm width provides excellent decorative impact above a fireplace, desk, sideboard or library seating area.

Condition Report
The work on paper remains in strong and stable antique condition.

The colours are well preserved, including the important scarlet coat and the softer tonal variations used to model the grey hunter.

A horizontal handling crease is visible across the upper section of the sheet. This historic crease has flattened over time but remains part of the condition of the artwork.

The picture has recently been professionally reframed using clean conservation materials. Its mount, backing and Artglass AR70 glazing are recent.

The gilt frame shows minimal signs of handling consistent with careful installation. The complete presentation remains highly attractive and is ready to display.

Please review every photograph carefully, as the images form an essential part of the listing and condition description. Additional condition information is available upon request.



Reserve: $16,200.00

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