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Harry Norman illustrated many books and magazines from 1911 to at least 1950. To date, no biographical details have come to light. Norman's work is valuable because it gives us an impression of how the various breeds of canaries were evolving in the period from 1910 onwards.
 Pair
of even-marked Borders (1911) by Harry
Norman
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Harry
Norman worked closely with Claude St.
John - the great canary expert of the time, and illustrated his
classic
book:
'Our Canaries' (1911). He also illustrated two editions of W.E. Brooks:
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| Norman painted his pictures from life, using champion
Borders of around 1911.
It is clear that, at this point in its evolution the Border occupied the 'middle ground' of the canary varieties. It was slimmer than the Norwich; shorter than the Yorkshire; much smaller than the Lancashire but bigger than the Roller. It was this central quality of 'balance', - of every aspect of shape and size being in harmony - that made it the most popular of British canary varieties. In addition it was healthy, fertile and had the best of parenting qualities. Sadly, the 'size madness' came to dominate the show-world and today the modern Border Cabary is massive by contrast. Many fanciers also report that it is increasingly infertile and a poor parent. |
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