| Connoisseur of Malvern Ltd. |
I could find almost nothing about this company online until I found this very helpful blog:
From The Chatsworth Lady's Blog: http://chatsworthlady.com/the-connoisseur-of-malvern-project/
"Although Connoisseur of Malvern porcelain figurines are far less well known in the USA than Boehm or Cybis, it can be argued that when it comes to quality and sheer artistry
they exceed both of those more familiar names. Their location in Ledbury, Worcestershire, was in an area known for porcelain manufacture including Royal Worcester not far
away. However, their distribution in America was limited to select retailers and galleries dealing in fine porcelain, china and crystal.
The studio was founded in the late 1970s by Diane Lewis who had in fact begun her career as a porcelain artist with Royal Worcester some 20 years earlier. Bird sculpture
collectors will know her as the designer of many of the Dorothy Doughty bird series. When the American porcelain studio Boehm decided to open a UK-based subsidiary, Ms.
Lewis was one of the four founders and also their chief floral designer. Ultimately she and her husband Tony opened their own studio, Connoisseur of Malvern Ltd; although
several very fine artists were in residence, the Diane Lewis floral studies are amazing in their beauty and intricacy and her work consistently received worldwide recognition.
Sadly, Ms. Lewis passed away very recently (mid-January 2015) at the age of 77."
From The Chatsworth Lady's Blog: http://chatsworthlady.com/the-connoisseur-of-malvern-project/
"Although Connoisseur of Malvern porcelain figurines are far less well known in the USA than Boehm or Cybis, it can be argued that when it comes to quality and sheer artistry
they exceed both of those more familiar names. Their location in Ledbury, Worcestershire, was in an area known for porcelain manufacture including Royal Worcester not far
away. However, their distribution in America was limited to select retailers and galleries dealing in fine porcelain, china and crystal.
The studio was founded in the late 1970s by Diane Lewis who had in fact begun her career as a porcelain artist with Royal Worcester some 20 years earlier. Bird sculpture
collectors will know her as the designer of many of the Dorothy Doughty bird series. When the American porcelain studio Boehm decided to open a UK-based subsidiary, Ms.
Lewis was one of the four founders and also their chief floral designer. Ultimately she and her husband Tony opened their own studio, Connoisseur of Malvern Ltd; although
several very fine artists were in residence, the Diane Lewis floral studies are amazing in their beauty and intricacy and her work consistently received worldwide recognition.
Sadly, Ms. Lewis passed away very recently (mid-January 2015) at the age of 77."
| Sefton's story is remarkable. I am old enough to remember the horror of the day when the IRA shocked the world with their terrorist bombing in Hyde Park: (story and photos courtesy of Wikipedia under the Fair Use laws) Sefton (1963–1993) was a British Army horse who served for 17 years from 1967 to 1984, coming to prominence when he was critically injured in the Hyde Park and Regent's Park bombings, which killed seven other horses, and four soldiers. He recovered sufficiently to return to active service and was subsequently awarded "Horse of the Year". Sefton became one of the first horses to be placed in the British Horse Society's equestrian Hall of Fame. Sefton's Story: On 20 July 1982 at 10.40am Sefton was en route to the traditional Changing of the Guard, with 15 other horses from his regiment. A car-mounted nail bomb planted by the IRA detonated on South Carriage Drive in Hyde Park, hitting the formation of horses and riders from the Blues and Royals. Two soldiers were killed on the scene, with two further soldiers dying of their wounds later. The blast injured all the horses, seven of them so badly that they were shot on the scene to relieve their suffering. Sefton and eight of his stablemates also sustained injuries, although Sefton's were the most serious of the surviving horses. A second explosion two hours later in Regent's Park killed another seven soldiers. Sefton's injuries were serious: they included a severed jugular vein, wounded left eye, and 34 wounds over his body. His rider Trooper Michael Pedersen noted that Sefton responded so competently that when the bomb exploded there was no chance of his being thrown. After dismounting, Pedersen, who was still in full state kit and in severe shock, could do little to help Sefton. The sound of the explosion alerted a number of soldiers still in the barracks, and many of them ran to the scene, including regimental commander Andrew Parker Bowles and veterinary officer, Major Noel Carding. Another soldier, on orders from the officers, took off his shirt and used it to apply pressure to Sefton's severe neck wound. Due to the severity of his wounds, Sefton was led in to the first horsebox to arrive on scene, where he was driven to the barracks along with Major Carding, Farrier-Major Brian Smith and three other troopers holding Sefton. Carding ordered the horsebox to the forge, rather than the stables, due to its proximity. Here, Carding began 90 minutes of emergency operation to save Sefton's life – the first of the British Army's veterinary officers to operate on war-like wounds to a cavalry horse in more than half a century – whilst also directing care of the other wounded horses prior to the arrival of civilian vets to assist. Carding, the civilian vets, farriers and troopers managed to save all of the horses who were brought back to barracks from the explosion scene. Sefton endured 8 hours of surgery – a record length for horse surgery in 1982. Each of his 34 wounds were potentially life-threatening; some included dislodging shrapnel from bone. That evening after surgery the veterinary surgeons gave him a 50/50 chance of surviving the shock and extreme blood loss. Over the next months he made continual progress and his nurse was quoted "He took everything in his stride". During his time in the hospital he received huge quantities of cards and mints; donations reaching almost $1,000,000 were collected to construct a new surgical wing at Royal Veterinary College which was named the Sefton Surgical Wing. Sefton returned to his duties with his regiment, and he often passed the exact spot where he had received such horrific injuries. That year he was awarded Horse of the Year, and with Pederson back in the saddle took centre stage at the Horse of the Year Show, to a standing ovation. On 29 August 1984 Sefton retired from the Household Cavalry, and moved to the Home of Rest For Horses at Speen, Buckinghamshire where he lived to the age of 30 before having to be put down on 9 July 1993 due to incurable lameness as a complication of the injuries suffered during the bombing. |
Sefton was born in July 1963 in County Waterford, Ireland, as a cross between an Irish Draught mare and a local Thoroughbred
stallion. As a four-year-old he was inspected by the Army Purchasing Commission on 1 June 1967, who chose him immediately, paying
the then standard £275.
He was then shipped via ferry from Dublin along with 25 other three- and four-year-old horses destined for the King's Troop, Royal
Horse Artillery and other parts of the Household Cavalry. Here, he was named Sefton after Lord Sefton, a former Household Cavalry
officer, but was nicknamed 'Sharky' in the stable, due to his predilection for biting.
In September 1967, he was moved to Wellington Barracks, London, and assigned to the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment,
where he was broken in, taking a longer than average time, as he was not quick to submit to rider commands. He 'passed out' in June
1968, and had his regimental number 5/816 marked on to his hind hooves.
His career included being a whipper-in's mount, and he excelled in this task, with a bold jump and fast pace. He competed in show
jumping while on deployment in Germany during 1969 and 1974 won 1434 Deutschmarks of prize money, and made the army team
competing for the British Army of the Rhine, as well as competing in and winning a point to point race. He worked for the Household
Cavalry, performing his guard duties, as well as appearing in Quadrilles, and tent pegging. He continued to show jump, including
appearances at the Royal Tournament and other smaller shows, although from 1980 he was gradually retired from the sport as he
reached the age of 18.
stallion. As a four-year-old he was inspected by the Army Purchasing Commission on 1 June 1967, who chose him immediately, paying
the then standard £275.
He was then shipped via ferry from Dublin along with 25 other three- and four-year-old horses destined for the King's Troop, Royal
Horse Artillery and other parts of the Household Cavalry. Here, he was named Sefton after Lord Sefton, a former Household Cavalry
officer, but was nicknamed 'Sharky' in the stable, due to his predilection for biting.
In September 1967, he was moved to Wellington Barracks, London, and assigned to the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment,
where he was broken in, taking a longer than average time, as he was not quick to submit to rider commands. He 'passed out' in June
1968, and had his regimental number 5/816 marked on to his hind hooves.
His career included being a whipper-in's mount, and he excelled in this task, with a bold jump and fast pace. He competed in show
jumping while on deployment in Germany during 1969 and 1974 won 1434 Deutschmarks of prize money, and made the army team
competing for the British Army of the Rhine, as well as competing in and winning a point to point race. He worked for the Household
Cavalry, performing his guard duties, as well as appearing in Quadrilles, and tent pegging. He continued to show jump, including
appearances at the Royal Tournament and other smaller shows, although from 1980 he was gradually retired from the sport as he
reached the age of 18.
| I stumbled across this enormous figurine (23" tall and 18" long!) at an online auction. I didn't realize what a find it was until I had done some research. The artist Richard Sefton is the sculptor of horse figures for Connoisseur of Malvern. In an odd twist of fate, Richard Sefton was chosen to immortalize the horse named Sefton, who was named after Lord Sefton an officer in the Queen's Royal Household Cavalry. For that reason this sculpture is often called "Sefton by Sefton". There were only 25 made and this is #9.The saber and chain work on this figurine is all solid sterling silver. Sefton was not a beautiful horse and neither is his sculpture. But it is an amazing likeness to the real horse and his rider, down to his registration number on his hoof! |
