Doe and Hope

Description

The decorative child's Victorian dappled carved and painted wooden pull-a-long horse, with one front leg raised, having a black leather saddle and harness, plaited horse-hare and mane, to a black painted base and four wheels, surviving in un-touched condition from mid-nineteenth century England.

The condition is entirely original and thus there are commensurate areas of wear but this is nothing short of desirable to many, with expected amounts of play-worn associated wear and a beautiful craquelure to the paint. It remains stable and running on its wheels with the horse hair tail, ears and hooves all remaining largely in tact as are the original wheels on which he sits.

A favourite 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.

A hugely evocative and sculptural piece in beautifully time-worn condition.