Large Quorn Hunt Painting by Basil Nightingale, Tom Firr on Grey Horse 1895
Basil Nightingale (British, Active Late 19th–Early 20th Century)
“Hare Seeds, Gentlemen! Hare Seeds!” — With the Quorn Hunt
Traditionally Identified as Huntsman Tom Firr Mounted on a Grey Hunter, Signed and Dated 1895
Large Late Victorian Sporting Watercolour | British Fox Hunting & Equestrian Art
Highlights
• Original large-scale sporting watercolour signed and dated Basil Nightingale, 1895.
• Depicts the professional huntsman of the celebrated Quorn Hunt sounding his horn while mounted on a powerful grey hunter.
• The rider is traditionally identified as Tom Firr, one of the most distinguished huntsmen of Victorian England.
• Inscribed with the historic hunting cry “Hare Seeds, Gentlemen! Hare Seeds!”
• Further inscribed “With the Quorn — a sketch from memory,” suggesting the artist was recalling a witnessed incident.
• Executed in watercolour, gouache and bodycolour heightened with white on paper.
• Demonstrates accomplished equestrian anatomy, controlled movement and finely observed hunting dress and tack.
• Signed and firmly dated within the period of Tom Firr’s celebrated tenure with the Quorn Hunt.
• Recently professionally reframed in a Larson-Juhl gilt moulding with conservation mounting.
• Protected by Artglass AR70 anti-reflective museum glazing providing approximately 70% ultraviolet protection.
• Impressive near-metre framed width offering exceptional presence in a country house, library or equestrian interior.
Introduction
An important late Victorian sporting watercolour by Basil Nightingale, signed and dated 1895, capturing a memorable incident involving the Quorn Hunt at the height of its nineteenth-century prestige.
The composition presents a mounted professional huntsman sounding his horn while seated upon a substantial grey hunter. Traditionally identified as the celebrated Quorn huntsman Tom Firr, the figure possesses the erect posture, concentrated expression and commanding presence expected of an experienced servant of the hunt.
Inscribed “Hare Seeds, Gentlemen! Hare Seeds!” and further described as “With the Quorn — a sketch from memory,” the painting appears to record an authentic moment when the hounds temporarily diverted from their intended quarry and took up the scent of a hare.
Nightingale elevates this fleeting sporting incident through carefully controlled composition, accomplished equestrian observation and expressive use of watercolour, gouache and heightened bodycolour. The vivid scarlet hunting coat stands against a restrained ochre landscape, while the grey hunter is modelled with remarkable solidity and anatomical understanding.
Recently presented in museum-standard conservation framing, this substantial work combines sporting history, narrative detail and commanding decorative scale.
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 on Paper
Period: Late Victorian
Style: British Sporting and Equestrian Art
Subject: Mounted Quorn Huntsman on a Grey Hunter
Sitter: Traditionally Identified as Tom Firr (1847–1910)
Signature: Signed and dated Basil Nightingale, 1895, lower right
Inscription: “Hare Seeds Gentleman! Hare seeds!” and “With the Quorn — a sketch from memory”
Frame: Larson-Juhl Gilt Moulding
Glazing: Artglass AR70 Anti-Reflective Museum Glass
Catalogue Note
The mounted huntsman occupies the visual centre of the composition, immediately establishing his professional authority within the hunting field. Holding the horn to his lips, he appears to call to the riders while maintaining calm control of the powerful grey horse beneath him.
The historic inscription refers to the hounds taking up the scent of a hare rather than continuing along the intended fox line. This interruption would have required immediate recognition and disciplined intervention from the professional huntsman.
The inclusion of the words “a sketch from memory” is especially compelling. Rather than presenting an entirely imagined sporting scene, the inscription suggests that Nightingale was recalling an incident connected with the Quorn.
The rider and horse are arranged with a strong vertical rhythm. The huntsman’s upright figure, raised horn and the grey’s carefully controlled head create an impression of discipline, concentration and poised movement.
Nightingale’s equestrian knowledge is apparent in the horse’s substantial shoulder, depth through the girth, clean lower limbs and controlled flexion at the poll. The raised foreleg is sensitively observed and gives the figure animation without disturbing the overall compositional balance.
Fine linear brushwork defines the bridle, reins, saddle and details of the rider’s clothing. Broader passages across the ground retain spontaneity and prevent the carefully studied figure from appearing static.
Opaque gouache and white bodycolour have been used to articulate the grey horse’s musculature and the huntsman’s pale breeches. These highlighted passages create depth and luminosity while allowing the scarlet coat to remain the dominant colour within the painting.
Historical Context
Founded in 1696, the Quorn Hunt developed an international reputation as one of England’s most distinguished fox hunts.
Its Leicestershire country became synonymous with fast riding, accomplished horsemanship and the social rituals of aristocratic sporting life. The landscape’s broad pastures, substantial hedges and timber fences demanded considerable skill from horses and riders alike.
By 1895, when this work was painted, fox hunting had become one of the defining subjects of British sporting art. Paintings and illustrations of named hunts recorded not only the excitement of the chase but also its organisation, hierarchy, dress and distinctive language.
Professional huntsmen occupied a position of exceptional practical importance. Responsible for controlling the hounds and interpreting the developing line, the huntsman required detailed knowledge of scent, terrain, weather and animal behaviour.
The cry recorded in this composition captures a specific moment when the hounds had apparently encountered hare scent. This unusual narrative detail distinguishes the painting from more generalised hunting images and provides an evocative glimpse into the working language of the Victorian hunting field.
The Traditionally Identified Sitter
The mounted huntsman is traditionally identified as Thomas “Tom” Firr (1847–1910), the celebrated professional huntsman closely associated with the Quorn Hunt.
Firr was admired for his command of hounds, technical horsemanship and composed authority across the demanding Leicestershire countryside. His reputation extended well beyond the hunting field, and he became one of the most recognisable sporting personalities of the late Victorian period.
The centred composition, professional scarlet coat, raised horn and controlled riding position are consistent with the established visual conventions used to portray a huntsman rather than an ordinary member of the field.
No documentary evidence accompanying the painting definitively confirms the sitter’s identity. The traditional identification as Tom Firr is therefore presented as a non-guaranteed professional opinion based upon the date, subject, Quorn inscription and visual context.
The Artist
Basil Nightingale was a British painter and illustrator active during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
He specialised in equestrian, sporting and military subjects and possessed a detailed understanding of horses, riding equipment and ceremonial dress. His works reflect the late Victorian appreciation for disciplined composition, narrative incident and accurate animal observation.
Nightingale also worked as an illustrator, contributing to publications including The Graphic and The Illustrated London News. His ability to combine documentary detail with visual clarity was particularly well suited to sporting subjects.
His hunting pictures are especially attractive to collectors when they incorporate named packs, historical inscriptions or traditionally identified sporting figures. The present work combines these areas of interest through its Quorn association, period hunting cry and traditional identification of the rider as Tom Firr.
Signed & Inscribed
Signed and dated lower right:
Basil Nightingale, 1895
Inscribed upper right:
“Hare Seeds Gentleman! Hare seeds!”
“With the Quorn — a sketch from memory”
The clear signature and firm date place the work within the late Victorian period and the celebrated era associated with Tom Firr and the Quorn Hunt.
Framing & Conservation
Recently professionally reframed within a handsome Larson-Juhl gilt moulding.
The work is presented with an ivory-white conservation mount and a refined gold inner slip, providing a sympathetic transition between the watercolour and its frame.
Artglass AR70 anti-reflective museum glazing has been installed to improve optical clarity and reduce distracting reflections. It also provides approximately 70% ultraviolet protection, supporting the long-term preservation of the pigments and paper.
The conservation-led presentation allows the scarlet coat, softly modelled grey horse and delicate highlighted passages to remain clear under a variety of interior lighting conditions.
Provenance
Private Collection, United Kingdom.
Mellors & Kirk, Nottingham, Fine Art, Antiques & Collectors Sale, December 2025.
Prometheus Antiques, United Kingdom.
Privately exhibited at the Famous Lord Hill Museum.
Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.
Dimensions
Sheet
Height: Approximately 47 cm
Width: Approximately 66 cm
Framed
Height: 80.5 cm
Width: 99 cm
Depth: 4.5 cm
The substantial near-metre framed width gives the painting impressive wall presence while retaining the refinement expected of a work on paper.
Condition Report
The watercolour is presented in strong and stable antique condition.
Its pigments remain vibrant, with particularly good preservation of the huntsman’s scarlet coat and the subtle tonal modelling of the grey horse. A horizontal historic handling crease runs across the upper part of the sheet and has flattened over time.
The work has recently been professionally reframed using conservation-quality presentation materials. The mount, backing and Artglass AR70 glazing are clean and recent.
The Larson-Juhl frame displays only minimal handling marks consistent with careful installation and presentation.
Please inspect all photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of the catalogue description. A detailed condition report is available upon request.
Shipping
Professional worldwide shipping is available. The painting will be carefully protected using specialist fine art packing materials and dispatched fully insured for secure delivery. Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD® has extensive experience shipping valuable paintings and works on paper throughout the United Kingdom and internationally.
Attribution & Research Notice
The identification of the mounted huntsman as Tom Firr is traditional and has not been confirmed by documentary evidence accompanying the painting. The attribution, sitter identification, historical observations and provenance research presented within this catalogue entry represent the professional, non-guaranteed opinion of Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®. They are offered in good faith following stylistic assessment, examination of the inscriptions, consideration of the historical context and consultation of relevant reference material. These conclusions should be understood as informed professional opinions rather than guarantees of identity, authorship, origin, provenance or historical interpretation. Future conservation, technical investigation or academic research may refine or expand the current understanding of the artwork.
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