Brighthelmstone Martin Ware Style Wally Bird Grotesque Stone Sculpture, 1900

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Description

A heavy cast stone sculpture depicting a grotesque Wally bird in the manner of the Martin Brothers, designed and produced … Read more A heavy cast stone sculpture depicting a grotesque Wally bird in the manner of the Martin Brothers, designed and produced by Brighthelmstone. The figure stands in an upright posture upon a low, rounded plinth, characterised by an oversized hooked beak, sunken hooded eyes, and an inquisitive, lopsided facial expression. The head is tilted gently to one side, capturing the idiosyncratic anthropomorphic charm made famous by Robert Wallace Martin's late Victorian stoneware pottery. Unlike original Martin Ware birds, which were made in two separate sections to serve as lidded tobacco jars, this decorative sculpture is cast as a solid, single-piece ornamental figure. The surface shows detailed relief modelling throughout, with distinct scalloped feathering cascading across the breast, deeply grooved primary feathers along the wings, and fine texturing down the back into the tapered tail feathers. Two robust clawed feet emerge beneath the body plumage, firmly gripping the domed base. The piece is manufactured from a dense composite stone material and treated with a multi-layered bronzed finish. Soft metallic highlights accent the raised ridges of the plumage and beak, while dark charcoal tones and verdigris green pigment settle into the crevices to evoke aged bronze. The manufacturer name 'Brighthelmstone' is incised into the lower edge of the plinth, legible along the side rim in low relief lettering.

Measuring 34 cm in height, the sculpture possesses substantial weight and stability. The underside is cast flat with a rough, granular texture and a small central opening from the casting process, allowing it to sit flush on a flat surface. Dating probably from the 1990s, this piece represents a faithful decorative tribute to the grotesque sculptural pottery pioneered by Wallace Martin and his brothers at their Southall pottery. See less