R.G. Finney (Wyoming, B. 1941) "Snow Leopard and Her Cubs" Signed lower center. Original Acrylic painting on Masonite.

Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

This painting is the original which appeared on the Fleetwood Collector's Plate. Snow Leopards live high in the rugged, unforgiving mountains of Central Asia.

These endangered cats have thick, luxuriant coats that keep them warm during the coldest weather, huge paws which allow for relatively easy travel over snow and long tails that provide the necessary balance to negotiate the rocky slopes, crevices and snow-covered surfaces of their habitat. Rarest of all big cats, Snow Leopards are shy, elusive animals and as a result little was known of their habits until recently. These snow cats, as they are sometimes called, live a solitary life, mixing with their own only to mate. Perhaps because of the harsh conditions of their environment, Snow Leopards are the only cats which have a specific breeding season. Mating occurs in late winter. After a gestation period of roughly 100 days, two to four cubs are born just as spring arrives and the weather warms. Nocturnal hunters, Snow Leopards prey on wild goats, deer, boars and a variety of small mammals. Unfortunately, they also hunt domestic livestock, which brings them in direct conflict with man. Each year several of these beautiful cats are killed by shepherds protecting their herds, adding to the leopards' decline. In addition, some furriers actively seek the beautiful smoke-gray pelts of these regal animals, sometimes using the best parts of 12 different hides to make one coat. Such a coat brings nearly $60,000 on the black market.

Image Size: 18 x 18 in.
Overall Size: 18 x 18 in.
Unframed.
(B14425)

- By registering to bid for this auction either in-house or online and/or placing a bid in this auction the BIDDER/BUYER agrees to all the terms and conditions of Helmuth Stone Gallery Auctions.

- All silver, gold and/or jewelry lots or invoices containing said lots MUST be paid for via WIRE TRANSFER, no other forms of payment will be accepted.

- All items are sold as-is where-is and no guarantees are made of any kind. All sales are final; no refunds will be given under any circumstances.

- Helmuth Stone Gallery provides condition reports as a courtesy to our clients and assumes no liability for any error or omission. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client and is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Descriptions are our opinions and should in no way be construed as a guarantee of any kind as to age, condition, mater. The bidder assumes responsibility for ensuring that the condition of the item(s) meets with their satisfaction prior to bidding. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.

- Online images can sometimes be low quality due to the uploading process, original high-resolution images can be requested via email at HelmuthStone@gmail.com

- We recommend looking into shipping quotes prior to bidding, shipping quotes can take up to a week or more post-sale as we host our auctions through multiple online platforms and shipping can become backlogged, if you would like a list of local shippers please email us directly.

- Our auction catalogs are hosted through multiple online platforms along with phone and in-house bidding. Bids placed on other platforms are not shown through this catalog. Because of this, even if it appears you are the only absentee bid or bidder on a lot, you may already be outbid or may have placed a bid equal to another bidder. Therefore, we always recommend bidding live.

- Unless otherwise stated in the description, all items are sold without additional documentation or COAs. If any supporting documentation is available an image will be available online via the catalog listing.

18 x 18 in