Red-Billed Tropicbird Coaster
Indulge in the harmonious blend of art and utility with our Red-Billed Tropicbird Bird Coaster, a unique masterpiece inspired by the 18th Century watercolour painter, Charles Collins. More than a simple drinks mat, this product is a canvas showcasing the delicate charm of a pair of Red-Billed Tropicbirds, immortalized by Collins’ skilful brushstrokes.
The visual elegance of this historical reproduction accentuates every sip you take. Its vibrant hues and intricate details offer a sublime visual experience, while its high-quality construction ensures protection of your surfaces. Experience a touch of nature’s beauty, coupled with the sophistication of the 18th Century art, right at your dining table or in your drawing room with our Red-Billed Tropicbird drinks mats.
Beautiful Red-Billed Tropicbird Coasters
Our Red-Billed Tropicbird Coaster brings the artistry of the 18th Century to everyday use. Each design reproduces a watercolour by c.1680 - 1744 - one of the period's most accomplished natural history painters, chosen from the Taylor White Collection for its fine detail and colour.
This design features Collins's portrayal of the Red-Billed Tropicbird (Latin name: Phaethon aethereus), reproduced with close attention to the original watercolour's brushwork, colour and composition. The result is a coaster that carries genuine artistic detail rather than a simplified print.
Beyond their appearance, these coasters are built for daily use. The surface protects furniture from heat, condensation and drink rings, so the artwork earns its place on the table without compromising on function.
Part of the Taylor White Collection, this Red-Billed Tropicbird design pairs historical illustration with a practical, everyday object, bringing a piece of 18th Century natural history art into daily use.
Red-Billed Tropicbird Coaster Specifications
The Red-Billed Tropicbird Coaster are made from 4mm thick medium-density fibreboard with a protective cork base to help protect your surfaces. The top surface of the coasters is printed with the reproduction of the Red-Billed Tropicbird watercolour painting by Charles Collins, which is sealed with a gloss finish, which protects the artwork and keeps it vibrant and fresh.
The Red-Billed Tropicbird Coaster are created using a dye sublimation print process, which gives each coaster a crisp and vibrant image of the Red-Billed Tropicbird.
The coasters are available in sets of two or six mats.
- Available in sets of 2 or 6 drinks mats.
- Dimensions: 10cm x 10cm (4 inches x 4 inches).
- Materials: Cork and wood.
- Rounded corners.
- Superb print quality and vibrancy.
- Protective cork backing.
The Taylor White Collection's 18th Century Watercolour Painting of the Red-Billed Tropicbird
Our Red-Billed Tropicbird comes from the original collection of Taylor White F.R.S. (1701-1772). In the mid-18th Century, White commissioned the celebrated wildlife painter Charles Collins (c.1680 - 1744) to paint a number of specimens for his collection. The watercolour of the Red-Billed Tropicbird was among the works Collins produced for White.
The original Red-Billed Tropicbird watercolour is finely painted, with remarkable detail, allowing the plumage and features of the Red-Billed Tropicbird to be seen in stunning clarity. This depth of colour and detail has been captured brilliantly through the digitisation process and is replicated here for your home or office decor, or as a thoughtful gift.
Taylor White, a barrister by profession and later Puisne Judge for Chester, was a keen naturalist and Fellow of the Royal Society, elected in 1725. Over nearly forty years from the 1730s until his death in 1772, he commissioned 938 watercolours of birds, mammals, fish and reptiles, including the Red-Billed Tropicbird, now held at McGill University and painted almost entirely by two artists, Charles Collins and Peter Paillou. White was a founding governor of The Foundling Hospital in London and served as its treasurer for the last twenty-five years of his life. His well-connected social and scientific circle gave his artists exceptional access to specimens: his second wife, Frances Armstrong, was the daughter of General John Armstrong, Governor of the Tower of London and Chief Royal Engineer, and White's artists painted the lions, wolves and other animals of the Royal Menagerie there. He also borrowed specimens from the British Museum, and received rare and exotic birds from friends, including the naturalist Joseph Banks, who sailed to Newfoundland in 1766, and William Harrison, who brought back specimens from voyages testing his father's marine chronometer.
About The Red-Billed Tropicbird
An 18th Century watercolour by Charles Collins, from the Taylor White Collection of natural history studies now held by McGill University Library.
The Red-Billed Tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus, is a seabird of tropical oceans worldwide, recognised by its coral-red bill, finely barred white plumage and long central tail streamers. It spends almost its entire life at sea, feeding on fish and squid taken by plunge-diving, and comes ashore only to breed on cliff ledges and in rock crevices. A single egg is laid, both parents share the rearing, and the young take around three months to reach independence. Courtship takes place in the air, in circling displays during which the birds can briefly fly backwards.
Collins worked from preserved specimens brought back from tropical voyages, at a period when careful painting was the only way to record a species for those who would never encounter one.
Production & Delivery
All Red-Billed Tropicbird Coaster orders are produced in the United Kingdom and are currently only available to be shipped to a UK postal address.
From the point of order, the production of your Red-Billed Tropicbird Coaster will take 5-7 working days. It will then be despatched to you, arriving approximately 24-48 hours later.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet