Twojays Corner Antiques

Description

Authenticated by Fieldings Auctioneers of Stourbridge after being consigned to auction by the Grandson of Robert Dudley Best as the first cast of of the Old Bill car mascot. Robert Dudley Best was the Grandson of the founder of Best & Lloyd of Hockley, Birmingham who sold their patents and designs for the automotive industry side of their business in 1935.

This is an early 20th Century patinated bronze car mascot of Old Bill, the World War One Tommy, cast with poised helmet , bold moustache and knotted scarf around his neck. The helmet is signed Bruce Bairnsfather. This was owned by Robert Dudley Best.

The copyright for these mascots was T.Rd.669204 circa 1930

Charles Bruce Bairnsfather (1887 - 1959) was a prominent British humorist and cartoonist. His best-known cartoon character is Old Bill. Bill and his pals Bert and Alf featured in Bairnsfather' weekly ‘Fragments from France’ cartoons published weekly in "The Bystander" magazine during the First World War.
In 1914 he joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment as a second lieutenant and served with a machine gun unit in France until 1915, when he was hospitalised with shellshock and hearing damage sustained during the Second Battle of Ypres. Posted to the 34th Division headquarters on Salisbury Plain, he developed his humorous series for the Bystander about life in the trenches, featuring "Old Bill", a curmudgeonly soldier with trademark walrus moustache and balaclava.

Dimensions...
Height 12cm
Width 6.5cm
.
TwoJays Corner Antiques & Vintage are open 10.30am to 16.00pm 6 days a week, Tuesday to Sunday. Why not come visit us?

DELIVERY FOR LARGE ITEMS...
Shipping is included for England and Wales only. For Scotland and NI please get in touch for a shipping quote.
We always use a fully insured courier but he is usually on his own, so please when you make arrangements with the him for delivery please make sure there is someone available to help him if required. Collection is usually well within 14 days of the order being placed and delivery is usually 8 to 10 days after that.

POSTAGE ON SMALLER ITEMS...
For UK deliveries we use Royal Mail 2nd class or Parcelforce 48 and always signed for and always fully insured
Sending parcels abroad we use parcel2go, we always fully insure each parcel and use signed for delivery.
If you are outside of the UK or shipping is not quoted for your country and you would like to purchase this item, then please contact us and we will get a postage/shipping quote for you.

RETURNS...
We will gladly accept returns within 14 days of delivery if the item is not as described or broken in transit.
However, if you just simply change your mind and there is nothing wrong with the item then we do not accept returns.