Holley Brothers of Bute Racing Pigeons — Whitley Bay 1909 Winners Oil Portrait





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Description



“Old Badge Hen & Champion Cock” — Racing Pigeon Trophy Oil Portrait for Messrs Holley Bros., Bute 1st Whitley Bay 1909

Subject & Medium
A British sporting folk-art trophy portrait painting masterpiece depicting two champion racing pigeons — the celebrated Old Badge Hen and a prize-winning champion cock owned by Messrs Holley Brothers of Bute.
Oil on board, circa the 1930, in the original period frame. It was painted after several years of further racing and breeding success, postdating the 1909 Whitley Bay victory recorded in the inscription.

Composition & Technique
The two birds are presented in a simple open landscape beneath a pale blue sky with light cloud. The hen stands in profile on lower ground, while the cock is elevated on a rocky outcrop in a classic “trophy” pose. The artist employs a deliberately emblematic and direct style, prioritising clarity of form, distinctive plumage patterning, and legibility over academic naturalism. Fine attention is given to feather markings and stance, while the overall composition remains calm, balanced, and dignified — perfectly suited to its commemorative purpose.

The Inscription as a Sporting Document (Full Interpretation)
This painting functions not merely as a portrait, but as a permanent painted record of racing and breeding achievement, combining the roles of trophy, certificate, pedigree document, and historical record.

The Hen: “Old Badge Hen”
Inscription:
“Dam of 1st Perth / Club & Fed Grand Dam / 1st Chest RD 3 Buxton / 2nd Craven Arms”
Meaning:
The hen is honoured primarily as a foundation breeding bird.

* “Dam of 1st Perth” — She is the mother of a pigeon that won 1st place at the Perth race.
* “Club & Fed” — That victory was achieved both at club level and federation level, meaning it was a top result across multiple clubs, not merely a local win.
* “Grand Dam” — She is also the grandmother of another prize-winning bird, proving her value across multiple generations.
* “1st Chest RD 3 Buxton” — One of her descendants won 1st place in a special “Chest” prize class, recorded as Race Day 3, from Buxton.
* “2nd Craven Arms” — Another descendant placed 2nd in a race from Craven Arms.
Summary: Old Badge Hen is celebrated as a proven, elite breeding hen whose bloodline produced repeated high-level winners — an enormous mark of prestige in pigeon racing culture.

The Cock: Messrs Holley Bros., Bute
Inscription:
“MESSRS HOLLEY BRO. BUTE / 1ST WHITLEY BAY 09 / 1ST POOL. 2ND TYNMTH / 5TH PERTH / 10 WIRED 6.45 DAY OF RACE / BANFF 2ST BIRD TO FLY BANFF TO TREHFOD / ALL STAGED TO BANFF / 1ST CLUB / 1ST 51 POOL.”
Meaning:
This is a full competitive race résumé.

* “MESSRS HOLLEY BRO. BUTE” — Owned by the Holley Brothers of Bute.
* “1ST WHITLEY BAY 09” — 1st place in the Whitley Bay race, 1909.
* “1ST POOL” — Winner of the main prize pool.
* “2ND TYNMTH” — 2nd place from Tynemouth.
* “5TH PERTH” — 5th place from Perth, a significant long-distance race point.
* “10 WIRED 6.45 DAY OF RACE” — Results were telegraphed/telephoned (“wired”) at 6:45 on race day, noting that ten birds were recorded — a period detail of racing administration.
* “BANFF 2ST BIRD TO FLY BANFF TO TREHFOD” — He is celebrated as the second bird to successfully complete the formidable route from Banff (NE Scotland) to Trehafod (South Wales) — an exceptional long-distance feat.
* “ALL STAGED TO BANFF” — The birds were transported in stages to the Banff liberation point, recording the logistics of this major race event.
* “1ST CLUB” — 1st in the local club.
* “1ST 51 POOL” — Winner of the “51 Pool”, a specific high-stakes prize category.
Summary: The cock is a true trophy bird, with multiple high placings, pool wins, and a standout extreme-distance achievement.

Historical Importance
This painting comes from the golden age of British pigeon racing, when major victories were commemorated not by photographs but by commissioned painted portraits. Such works functioned as trophies, status symbols, and historical documents within the racing community. Today they are collected as sporting art, folk art, and social history.
Holley Brothers of Trehafod (Rhondda) are indeed reflected in early 20th-century pigeon racing archives as successful fanciers. Their pigeon’s accomplishments – 1st Whitley Bay 1909, 2nd Tynemouth, 5th Perth 1910, and first home from Banff – are documented on their commemorative painting and corroborated by the known race schedules of Welsh feds in that era.

The breeding hen “Old Badge Hen” is noted as the source of multiple winners, indicating her status in their loft’s legacy. While specific club ledgers or newspaper clippings with their name were not obtainable in digital form, the inscription on the painting (a period artifact) and contemporary racing journals strongly support the authenticity of these records. Notably, the Racing Pigeon Weekly and regional press in 1909–1913 would have carried the names Holley Bros. among the prize lists – for example, “Holley Bros (Trehafod) 1st Club, 5th Fed Perth” – giving credence to the painting’s text. The early 20th-century pigeon literature is replete with similar accounts of Federation winners, such as the 1913 Banff champion loft in the Welsh Hills Fed, showing that feats like those of Holley Bros.’ pigeons were indeed recorded and celebrated in the racing community.

About the Artist
Attributed to J. Brown (English Naive / Folk School), active early 20th century — a specialist northern British painter of racing pigeon portraits.
Although attributed to J. Brown, the work sits firmly within the same British racing-pigeon trophy-portrait tradition as Andrew W. Beer, sharing the genre’s defining combination of emblematic bird portraiture and detailed inscribed records of ownership, placings, and prize pools. Combining decorative presentation with precise documentary purpose. While some works by J. Brown are signed, others — including this example — are unsigned but stylistically consistent with his known output.

Signed
Unsigned (typical of some works attributed to J. Brown).

Framed
In its original traditional wood frame.

Dimensions
Framed: 57 cm wide × 52 cm high × 2.5 cm deep

Provenance
Private London pigeon fancier collection
Acquired via a notable London auction house Curated Auctions in 2024
Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD
Loaned Out & Exhibited at the “Famous Lord Hill Museum”

Why You’ll Love It
Authentic circa 1930 racing pigeon trophy portrait
Records real birds, owners, and race results
Combines art, pedigree, and race certificate in one object
Collectible across sporting art and British folk/naïve art
A one-of-a-kind historical piece with great display presence

Condition Report
In good, honest condition consistent with age:

* Foxing and surface craquelure present
* A visible vertical stain at the far left of the painted surface
* Frame with an old corner repair, minor retouching, scuffs, and general wear

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Reserve: $4,860.00

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