Old Badge Hen & Champion Cock Racing Pigeon Trophy Oil Portrait C1930

A rare and highly decorative British folk art racing pigeon trophy portrait, painted oil on board circa the 1930s and retained in its original period wooden frame. Depicting two celebrated birds — “Old Badge Hen” and a champion cock — this painting was created as a commemorative sporting record for Messrs Holley Brothers of Bute, with extensive original inscription detailing ownership, placings, prize pools, and notable long-distance performance.
The composition presents the birds in a simple open landscape beneath a pale blue sky with light cloud: the hen in profile on lower ground, and the cock raised on a rocky outcrop in a classic trophy pose. Executed in a direct, emblematic manner typical of early 20th-century British vernacular sporting art, the work prioritises clarity, distinctive plumage patterning, and legibility, while remaining calm and balanced in overall effect. The combination of decorative presence and documentary text makes it an outstanding example of sporting folk art and pigeon racing memorabilia.
The inscription records key results including 1st Whitley Bay 1909, pool wins, and additional placings. “Old Badge Hen” is honoured as an important breeding bird, noted as the dam and grand-dam of multiple prize winners. A striking, one-of-a-kind piece appealing to collectors of British folk/naïve painting, sporting art, racing pigeon trophies, and social history interiors.
Key Features
British folk art sporting trophy portrait
Two racing pigeons: “Old Badge Hen” and champion cock
Extensive original painted inscription recording racing and breeding achievements
Oil on board, circa 1930s
Original period wooden frame
Strong display presence and rare subject matter
Attribution
Attributed to J. Brown (English Folk / Naïve School), active early 20th century. Unsigned, consistent with examples in this genre.

Old Badge Hen & Champion Cock” — Racing Pigeon Trophy Portrait for Messrs Holley Brothers (Bute / Trehafod), c.1930
Painted as a commemorative “trophy picture,” this early 20th century British folk-art portrait records the story of two exceptional pigeons owned by Messrs Holley Brothers, celebrated fanciers associated with Bute and the Welsh loft community at Trehafod. Executed oil on board and presented in its original period frame, the work was produced circa the 1930s, looking back on a run of racing and breeding success that began with the birds’ prize performances in the years around 1909.
At the heart of the painting is the loft’s foundation pair: the Old Badge Hen and a champion cock—not merely shown for their beauty, but honoured for what they achieved and produced. In an era when results were often preserved through ledgers, local press lists, and club culture rather than photographs, portraits like this served as the lasting public record of a fancier’s reputation.
The Owners: Messrs Holley Brothers
The inscription names “MESSRS HOLLEY BRO.” and anchors the painting in the competitive pigeon-racing world of the early 1900s. These were the years of organised club and federation racing, with prize pools, timed returns, and long-distance tests that carried real social prestige. This picture reads like a condensed résumé of the loft—confirming that the Holley Brothers campaigned birds across multiple race points, competed for pools, and recorded their timing in the manner of serious fanciers of the day.
The Champion Cock: A Racing Career in Paint
The cock is presented in a classic trophy pose, elevated and dignified, reflecting his status as the loft’s principal racing performer. The painted inscription records a sequence of notable results, led by 1st Whitley Bay (1909), alongside further placings such as 2nd Tynemouth and 5th Perth. Beyond the placings, the text preserves the mechanics of the sport: pool wins, specific categories, and the detail that birds were “wired” at 6:45 on the day of race—an evocative reference to period communication and the formal verification of results.
Most striking is the reference to Banff, celebrating the cock as the second bird to complete the demanding route from Banff (NE Scotland) to Trehafod (South Wales), and noting that the convoy was staged to Banff—a logistical detail that underlines the seriousness of the event. In a single block of text, the painting captures the cock’s standing not only as a winner, but as an endurance bird tested at the far limits of contemporary racing.
Old Badge Hen: The Loft’s Bloodline and Legacy
While the cock’s inscription reads as an athlete’s record, the Old Badge Hen is honoured as a breeder of consequence. Her text identifies her as “Dam of 1st Perth” (a winner at both club and federation level) and as “Grand Dam” to further prize birds. Additional results—1st Chest (Race Day 3) Buxton and 2nd Craven Arms—show that her value was proven repeatedly through descendants. In pigeon culture, this is the language of prestige: the hen is commemorated not for a single win, but for establishing a line capable of producing winners across multiple seasons and distances.
A Painted Document of Sporting Life
Together, the two inscriptions tell a complete story of ownership, competition, and inheritance: the Holley Brothers’ loft had a race-winning cock and a foundation hen whose offspring and grandchildren continued to place. The picture therefore operates as a hybrid object—part decorative folk painting, part trophy, part pedigree statement—preserving the sporting identity of the birds and the standing of their owners within their racing community.
Dimensions
Framed: 57 cm W × 52 cm H × 2.5 cm D
(Approx. 22.4 in W × 20.5 in H × 1.0 in D)
Condition
Good, honest condition consistent with age. Foxing and surface craquelure present. A visible vertical stain to the far left of the painted surface. The frame has an old corner repair with minor retouching, scuffs, and general wear.
Provenance
Private London pigeon fancier collection. Acquired via a notable London auction house in 2024. Curated within a specialist racing context and exhibited on loan to Famous Lord Hill Museum.
Shipping
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