- Price:
-
£2,037.45
- Product Code:
- RHDG
- Description:
- Dapple Grey
Size MEDIUM 53" Long x 41" High x 18" Wide Suitable for riders aged up to 8 or 9 years
Allow 6 to 8 weeks to produce, cost ex works.
For more information please contact Mike Campy 01924 366122
Product Details
In the beautiful coastal village of Robin Hoods Bay , North Yorkshire , England, there is a man in a small workshop who creates what are probably the finest hand carved Victorian style Rocking Horses on the market today.
Using traditional tools and employing time honoured methods of construction he takes sustainable imported timbers such as American Tulip Wood and American Ash and creates magnificent heirlooms that will pass down from generation to generation giving the children endless fun and enjoyment and the parents great pride in the ownership of such an artefact which they in turn will pass on.
After carving the horse, Gesso is applied all over, for those of you who may be interested Gesso is an ancient method used by the early makers of rocking horses and consists of rabbit skin glue and a substance called whiting( a very fine white powder ) these are mixed together in a glue pot and applied to the horse whilst hot , several coats are required, then the horse is left to rest and dry out for about a week, after which it can be sanded down to a very fine smooth and slightly flexible finish.
If the horse is to be a Dapple Grey, which is the most popular finish then it is at this stage that at least six coats of child safe pale grey paint is applied with careful sanding down between each coat followed by the dappling ( which is quite a tricky technique ) then two or three coats of thin satin varnish.
When dry, top quality leather tack is fitted together with high quality brass fittings and real horse hair mane and tail.
The finished horse is then fitted onto its safety stand which with its scalloped edges, turned posts and fine detail is in itself a fine piece.
When Queen Victoria visited the great exhibition of 1851 and showed a great deal of interest in a Dapple grey Rocking Horse there, it became a classic, and has remained so ever since.
Some of these fine horses go to homes where there are no children and are simply kept as pieces of adornment, and how attractive they look too just placed in a corner or by a French window.
For anyone commissioning one of these fine rocking horses there can be a choice of horse hair colour and leather tack colour plus a choice of different finishes on the safety stand in light, medium or dark stain to suit your individual décor, there is also the opportunity to take advantage of a time capsule created in the body of the horse.
Some companies are importing cheap reproductions from the Far East, so it is very important that you look for a guaranteed traditional Rocking Horse lovingly hand carved using time honoured methods from within the UK.
Because this craftsman attends to every detail himself from start to finish, production is limited to approximately 12 horses per year , this makes them very sought after and requires client patience, so as you can imagine ordering in advance is the key,.