'Frenchmen' under the hammer - opportunity beckons to bid for impressive painting of Red-legged Partridges

Beautiful feather detail - Lodge's impressive study of Red-legged Partridges

A RARE opportunity has arisen to bid for one of the original paintings that was commissioned by publisher Harry Forbes Witherby to illustrate The Handbook of British Birds.

The signed watercolour and gouache study, which measures, 23.5cm by 36cm, is by Lincolnshire artist George Edward Lodge (1860-1954).

Featuring a family of Red-legged Partridges, sometimes colloquially known as 'Frenchmen', it is due to go under the hammer - as Lot 1010 - at a sale of British, European & Sporting Art to be held by auction house Tennants at Leyburn in North Yorkshire on  March 15.

The pre-sale estimate is that it will fetch between £400 and £600.