Ayres Rocking Horse
An F H Ayres Rocking Horse
We are always excited to see an Ayres rocking horse
come in to the workshop for restoration, their grace and splendor is timeless
and never ceases to capture the imagination of all of us here at the workshop.
Until around 1950 Frederick Henry Ayres of London
produced arguably the most beautiful and sought after rocking horses of the
past.
In the later years of production the company was
acquired by Sykes and shortly after by Slazenger.
Occasionally you may be able
to find a manufacturers plaque or ink stamp which can tell you a little about
the era in which it was made, we have been lucky enough to see quite a few of these over
the years while working of restoration projects. Unfortunately the majority of these stamps have not survived the test of time or the in some cases the horse simply never had
one.
Ayres, despite having a relatively extensive range
of rocking horses over the years, are clearly identified despite the varying condition they
arrive in, from their exquisite head carving to thier impossibly finely carved
legs they are easily recognisable.
They are noted in particular for having delicately
carved ears and narrow muzzles.
It is the narrow muzzle which has resulted in
the common problem in Ayres horses, the missing lower jaw, a combination of the
delicate carving and pulling a little too hard on the reins is the cause.
Another notable feature of Ayres rocking horses is
the generous and well proportioned body and not forgetting remarkably carved
legs showing attention in particular to muscle structure.
There are several variations to an Ayres horse
paintwork though each is easily recognized.
The more expensive models exhibit extensive dappling while the less expensive examples demonstrate a more meagre coverage though still carefully placed and always consistent in quality.
The stands too are recognizable for the
distinguishing pillar shapes though earlier and special designs may be more
varied, bow rockers on the other hand are difficult to identify without expert
If you are
having trouble identifying your horse feel free to email/post us a photograph
or simply a description and we should be able to tell you the maker and era of
your horse.
We have restored many ayres rocking horses over the
years, visit our website for more information on our traditional restoration
process.
if you would like to get in touch, email Alison@rockinghorseworks.co.uk
or Phone : 01630 653194
That is really nice to hear. thank you for the update and good luck.
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