Hand-carved and crafted art sculptures by Harrogate-based artist Barbara Allen Watkinson (nee Ingham) 1911-2000.
Watkinson was a talented and multi-skilled artist who specialised in small and intricate art forms including portrait miniatures, enamelware and small sculptural figures hand-carved from semi-precious stones. She was a member of the Royal Society of Miniatures and took part in several exhibitions between the 1960s and 1980s. Some of the figures we have come with their exhibition labels.
This delicate pair measures only 4” and 5” tall including their bases. They’re labelled on their boxes as Oberon and Titania; the mythical king and queen of the fairies.
Barbara would meticulously list all materials used in her figures, often in tiny writing on the back of one of her business cards! These lists are still present with some of the figures we have of hers, but not all.
A list of materials used for Titania is present: her dress is carved from jelly opal, a precious gemstone with a high value per carat—a material you’d more likely see as a piece of jewellery, not a piece of art! Her face, arms and feet are made from pale pink coral, and the base is Carrera marble.
Oberon’s body looks to be made from moonstone, with characteristic flashes of blue within areas of the milky stone. His torso has some stress fractures, often called feathers’ in the jewellery trade. They don’t seem to be affecting the structural integrity of the piece as they’re close to the surface and there’s no movement, but the figure will need to be handled with care and kept away from extreme heat, etc.
Underneath both bases is a small copper inset engraved with Barbara’s signature and a date. Titania is dated 1976 and Oberon is dated 1978.
Hand-carved and crafted art sculptures by Harrogate-based artist Barbara Allen Watkinson (nee Ingham) 1911-2000.
Watkinson was a talented and multi-skilled artist who specialised in small and intricate art forms including portrait miniatures, enamelware and small sculptural figures hand-carved from semi-precious stones. She was a member of the Royal Society of Miniatures and took part in several exhibitions between the 1960s and 1980s. Some of the figures we have come with their exhibition labels.
This delicate pair measures only 4” and 5” tall including their bases. They’re labelled on their boxes as Oberon and Titania; the mythical king and queen of the fairies.
Barbara would meticulously list all materials used in her figures, often in tiny writing on the back of one of her business cards! These lists are still present with some of the figures we have of hers, but not all.
A list of materials used for Titania is present: her dress is carved from jelly opal, a precious gemstone with a high value per carat—a material you’d more likely see as a piece of jewellery, not a piece of art! Her face, arms and feet are made from pale pink coral, and the base is Carrera marble.
Oberon’s body looks to be made from moonstone, with characteristic flashes of blue within areas of the milky stone. His torso has some stress fractures, often called feathers’ in the jewellery trade. They don’t seem to be affecting the structural integrity of the piece as they’re close to the surface and there’s no movement, but the figure will need to be handled with care and kept away from extreme heat, etc.
Underneath both bases is a small copper inset engraved with Barbara’s signature and a date. Titania is dated 1976 and Oberon is dated 1978.