![Ceryle Alcyon #34915 [male], #728 [female], #16933 [male] imm.](https://www.georgeglazer.com/wpmain/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ceryle.jpg "Ceryle Alcyon #34915 [male], #728 [female], #16933 [male] imm.")
![Halcyon Funebris #39676 [male], #39675 [female]](https://www.georgeglazer.com/wpmain/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/halcyon.jpg "Halcyon Funebris #39676 [male], #39675 [female]")
![Buceros Hydrocorax Semigaleatus #19825, B[uceros] H[ydrocorax] Mindanensis #19490 (imm.), B[uceros] H[ydrocorax] Mindanensis #19494, B[uceros] H[ydrocorax] Hydrocorax #19414](https://www.georgeglazer.com/wpmain/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/buceroshydro.jpg "Buceros Hydrocorax Semigaleatus #19825, B[uceros] H[ydrocorax] Mindanensis #19490 (imm.), B[uceros] H[ydrocorax] Mindanensis #19494, B[uceros] H[ydrocorax] Hydrocorax #19414")
Description
George F. Sandström was a natural history artist who illustrated over 40 books with his paintings birds, animals, flowers, minerals and plants over a long career. Born in Argentina, he earned a masters degree in economics there. In 1950, he immigrated to the United States and spent several years trying to launch an acting career and another five as a banker in Philadelphia before embarking on a career as a natural history artist in 1962. Although he was a self-taught artist, he quickly found success with Seashells of the World (1962), a best-seller that was translated into seven languages and sold millions of copies over the next 25 years. During the 1970s and 1980s, Sandström collaborated with John E. duPont, naturalist, founder and chairman of the Delaware Museum of Natural History in Wilmington, illustrating duPont’s books Philippine Birds (1971), South Pacific Birds (1976) and Woodpeckers of the World (1982). His painting of an ivory-billed woodpecker was published in Newsweek in 1986. He also illustrated regularly for the New York Times, Ranger Rick magazine, and other periodicals. Sandström painted from his own field sketches and photos as well as borrowing stuffed specimens from museums. His paintings have been exhibited at museums and galleries in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York and Washington, DC.
Provenance: Estate of John E. duPont (1938-2010), founder of the Delaware Museum of Natural History. DuPont was an ornithologist who discovered some two dozen species and authored several books on birds.
Condition: Generally very good with the usual overall light toning, handling, and wear. Very minor toning in far outer edges. Drafting tape markers beyond image on kingfisher paintings, as issued, to line up for publication, can be matted out when framed. Our research has not revealed, however, if the illustrations were published.
References:
Downey, Sally A. “George F. Sandström, 81, Artist and illustrator.” Philadelphia Inquirer. 24 June 2006. Online at Alt.obituaries: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.obituaries/ZWkg1nsJqxY (25 March 2014).
duPont, John Eleuthère. Philippine Birds. Greenville, DE: Delaware Museum of Natural History, 1971.
Gress, Karen K. “Artist Draws His Subjects From Nature.” Philadelphia Inquirer. 18 January 1987. http://articles.philly.com/1987-01-18/news/26189912_1_wildlife-paintings-wildlife-art-exhibition-watercolor-painting (25 March 2014).
“John Eleuthere du Pont.” Delaware County Daily Times. 12 December 2010. Online at Remembering Pa.us. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/delcotimes/obituary.aspx?n=john-eleuthere-du-pont&pid=147097458 (12 January 2012).
Wilson, Wendell E. “George F. Sandström.” The Mineralogical Record Museum of Art. 2014. http://www.minrec.org/artwork.asp?artistid=29&cat=1 (25 March 2014).
