More Canadiana: Allan Brooks Prints
Picked up these vintage bird prints at a neighbour’s yard sale (three for five bucks!). As a fan of birds and illustration, I was pleased to hang these pretty ousieaux in my bedroom.As a research nerd, they provided hours of entertaining googling.
First of all, they are by the famous Canadian ornithologist and bird artist Allan Brooks (you can read his story here). Secondly, the lady who sold them to me told me that she researched them and discovered that are from a series of prints commissioned by or licensed to the Hudson’s Bay Company in the 1940s or 1950s to be sold as decorative objects in their department stores.
(in fact there is a Hudson’s Bay Picture Department label on the back — see below). There were probably four, originally. Now I will have to hunt down the missing image!
The Bay still works with Canadian artists to produce limited edition works. I also have this nature-themed tea towel by Leanne Shapton hanging in my kitchen.
