We thought we’d share two recently arrived additions to the Arcade. A beautiful example of a childs rocking horse and a childs horse tricycle!.  The stunning rocking horse is available at The Blue Rooms (Unit 4) and is a fine example of the toy and must be seen.

As for the fabulous, old and rare French Childs Tricycle, this can be viewed in unit 42P at the Arcade.

Baby rocking horses and rocking horses for toddlers are one of the must-have gifts and decors in our modern-day nurseries. They have been adopted by our western families for centuries.

There have been many royal links in the history with rocking horses in the past, as well as the present. A wooden rocking horse for babies is usually a centerpiece of any nurseries.

It was believed one of the earliest forms of a ‘riding horse’ is simply a hobby horse type toy with a carved horse head attached on a stick, some may also have had a wheel at the end of the stick.

Other ancestors of the rocking horses may also be found in the form of a rocking cradle and seat used during the Middle Ages apparently for jousting practice.

Rocking horses had become more and more popular and by the 1800s rocking horses were considered as a common children’s toy. 

In 1880, an alternative rocking horse mechanism was designed by an American inventor. This new glider-type base was safer than the classic bow rockers and required less space for the toy’s movement. Classic rocking chairs moved forward when used, while the new horse stayed in one place.

The folk art child’s carved fruitwood and cast iron horse child’s tricycle, having three spoked wheels, wooden handles and a black iron frame with pierced patterned supports, provincially made and surviving in charming condition from 1870s France.

A favorite toy of children who could already walk was a pull-along horse on wheels and by pulling it with a string, the horse would tamely follow the child. It did not take very long before these pull-along horses on wheels became large enough to bear the weight of a child and in a short time these toys started to be made for riding which is when this piece would have been made.

Jean Louis Goirdoux for Jugnet was the best maker of these pieces in this period and this example is very much in keeping with his work.

It was probably made by a doting father for his child and inspired by Goirdoux’s design.

A charming piece that would look splendid on a sideboard or in a bay window.

Stallholder George Dolling (Unit 66) is our resident Wedgwood expert, especially early Wedgwood.  He has highlighted 2 pieces from his current collection.

WEDGWOOD CAPRIWARE TEAPOT

This teapot was produced by Wedgwood between 1830 and 1891. It is made from their well known high quality black basalt stoneware (in production since 1768), intended to imitate natural basalt. Its versatility meant that it could be used for all sorts of different designs, from library busts to delicate jewellery.

The shape of the teapot is one of Wedgwood’s most famous, known as shape 146 and can be found in many patterns. The additional polychrome enamel decoration is known as ‘Chinese Flowers’ and when it is applied onto the black basalt the finished result is known as ‘Capriware’.

Drawing on both Western and Eastern traditions, it is a beautiful example of Wedgwood’s 19th Century design and craftmanship.

CAMBRIDGE ALE JUG

The Cambridge Ale Jug was produced by Wedgwood in 1850, they were originally made for the Cambridge University colleges, between 1850 and 1890’s.

Contrary to its appearance, it is not made from terracotta earthenware, but rather from Wedgwood’s ‘Rosso Antico’ stoneware. This stoneware is fired at a higher temperature than traditional earthenware which results in some of its constituent minerals turning to glass.

Like all Wedgwood’s dry bodies, it is non porous making any glaze purely decorative. The quality of Wedgwood’s rosso antico is demonstrated by its fineness of finish and tactile nature.

The Ale Jug is from George’s personal collection, but the teapot is currently for sale in his unit (unit 66)  at Hungerford Arcade.

This month we had a visit from our good friends at SAS Auctions! Thomas and his two teams came to us once again for another of their fabulous charity auction events!

The rules were straightforward, two teams both with a cash budget of £200 each. The aim was simple, to buy the best quality items at bargain prices then sell them at the auction for as much profit as possible. This would then be donated to the chosen charity, Action For Children.

After a fun filled morning of flying through all of our dealers stock and rooting out those special treasures, the team here at the arcade worked their magic calling the dealers getting the best prices we could to aid the charity.

After a couple of hours both teams had there chosen items, one having spent exactly £200 and the other a close £199! We wish both teams all the best in their sales and hope they raise a wonderful donation towards Action for Children!

SAS was established in 1991 as a specialist and traditional firm of auctioneers. Over the years they have been commended for the level of service  provided to their sellers and buyers. The salerooms are strategically located in the South of England, Newbury within easy reach of London and the rest of the UK. You can see more about SAS here.

ACTION FOR CHILDREN – Safe and happy childhoods

We protect and support children and young people, providing practical and emotional care and support. We ensure their voices are heard, and campaign to bring lasting improvements to their lives. You can see more of the fantastic work carried out by Action For Children by clicking here.

Hungerford Town and Manor will be hosting monthly Antiques and Collectors Fairs in Hungerford Town Hall, High Street, RG17 0NF starting on Sunday 10 March 2024 from 9.00 am – 3.30 pm. Sellers from 6.30 am and Trade from 8.00 am. Free entry.

For further  information contact:

Gerry White on 07747 106539 Email: gerrywhite60@gmail.com

Hungerford Arcade loves our international visitors so we were thrilled when we made a new friend today.

Colin Huffines from Dallas had time to while away, popped in to browse and, as so many of our visitors do, spent a couple of hours with us before continuing his journey to Ramsbury, one of our local villages.

He tried on several top hats in Unit 116 and found one that was a perfect fit.  He was delighted to meet Dennis Benneyworth, the dealer, and learn all about their history and how to keep them in perfect condition.

Eat your heart out, Fred Astaire, we think he looks very dapper in the one he chose!

This beautiful example of a Victorian Tantalus has just arrived at the Arcade and is available from our stall holder Vanessa (Unit 127). 

A Tantalus is a small wooden cabinet containing two or three decanters. Its defining feature is that it has a lock and key. The aim of that is to stop unauthorized people from drinking the contents (in particular, “servants and younger sons getting at the whisky”), while still allowing them to be on show.

The tantalus was so called after Tantalus, one of the sons of Zeus. The myth says that when invited to dine at the table of the Gods, Tantalus stole some ambrosia for his personal use. As punishment for this crime, Tantalus was forced to stand in a pool of water under a fruit tree. 

The ingenious device  was not introduced in England until the last half of the nineteenth century. The basic concept of the design is a framework into which can be locked one or more decanters of liquor. In most cases, the decanters are square, usually of cut or engraved glass.

The original patent in 1881 (UK Patent 58948) was by George Betjemann, a cabinet maker from Germany. Betjemann & Sons had workshops at 34–42 Pentonville Road, London from the 1830s.

Very few Betjemann examples survive in complete condition; those that do are generally sold at auction for sums in the thousands of US dollars. Original Betjemann articles should have brass or silver plate stamps signifying their authenticity. Later models, in completely different styles, were also called “The Betjemann Tantalus” even though no cabinetry was present and they were not made at the Pentonville works.