Alan Best (1910–2001) was a Canadian sculptor and natural historian, who was curator of Stanley Park Zoo, Vancouver for over 20 years.[1][2]

Early life and education

Best was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1910, the third of five sons of English immigrants.[1] Soon after his birth, the family moved to Galiano Island and then to Salt Spring Island,[1] both Gulf Islands of British Columbia. Best attended Shawnigan Lake School for Boys.[1]

Career

Aged 17, Best moved to New York, where he began sculpting animals at the American Museum of Natural History.[1] In 1931–32, he studied in Paris[1] at the Académie Julian. Moving to London, he had various sculpture jobs.[1] He worked for the ceramics company Josiah Wedgwood and Sons for which he designed ornamental figures of athletes and of a mandarin duck,[3] and was assistant to British sculptor Eric Kennington. He worked for the zoologist Julian Huxley as a field worker and as tutor to his sons,[1] and when Huxley was appointed curator of the London Zoo in 1936, Best became assistant zoo curator.[1] During WWII, Best served with the British Merchant Navy.[1] After the war, he returned to British Columbia.[1] He started a children's zoo in 1950,[1] and in 1951, became curator of Stanley Park Zoo, Vancouver.[1] He was a noted authority on penguins,[1] and made several expeditions to the Antarctic to capture different species for the zoo.[4]

Personal life

He was the uncle of the Canadian filmmaker Alan Best.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Campbell, Aileen (11 April 1972). "Best leaves the 'best job'". The Province. Vancouver, British Columbia. p. 5. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  2. ↑ Sarton, May (1997). Sammlung. W. W. Norton & Company. p. 117. ISBN 9780393039542. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  3. ↑ Taylor, Diane (1994). "Keith Murray, Architect and Designer for Industry". Twentieth Century Architecture (1): 52. JSTOR 41859419.
  4. ↑ "Zoo Curator To Antarctic For Penguins". Times Colonist. Victoria, British Columbia. 10 December 1959. p. 5. Retrieved 21 February 2019.


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