Bidspirit auction | David Bird Exciting Episodes Mixed

David Bird Exciting Episodes Mixed Media Shadow Box Assemblage 1989 - This mixed media shadow box assemblage is titled Exciting Episodes and is an original work by artist David Bird, created in January 1989. The composition is built within a deep molded oak shadow box frame and features a central portrait of a young sailor wearing a flat cap. The portrait is surrounded by an intricate collage of 19th-century nautical ephemera, including illustrations of clipper ships, a large compass rose, and fragments of antique text. Three-dimensional elements are integrated into the work, including a turned wooden knob at the center, a miniature model ship at the base, a small glass vial, and a crescent-shaped element. The interior is further embellished with blue and gold painted accents and patterned paper borders. The verso of the piece is finished in blue-gray paint and retains the original artist's label which includes the title, date, and signature. A contact label for the artist in Edinburgh and multiple fragments from The Penny Magazine, dated February 23, 1833, are also adhered to the back panel. Two metal rings are attached to the upper corners for hanging.