RubberNedz
A new venture for Animal Artistry returns to the early roots of British collecting
I feel that an introduction to my latest business, “RubberNedz,” is required. Recently l have been asked by many
of my customers “Why are you making rubber horses,
when you could be making china ones?” It might seem
a somewhat strange diversion to hobbyists outside the
United Kingdom, so I shall try to explain my fascination
for bendy equines.
process to make rubber horses. The process seemed very
long-winded compared to the relative ease of making
things in resin; far too time-consuming for me! I gave it a
try, but never went beyond the first stage and l decided to
concentrate on easier things.
Seven years ago, l ended up owning and running a ceramic studio; not part of my life-plan, but it was necesAs a child growing up in the 1960s, l desperately wanted sary at the time. Over the following years, l have learnt
Julip Model Horses; “a Riding Stable on a Table,” the ad- a fraction of the mysteries surrounding fine bone china
vert said. Sadly, the cost of these rubber equines, with
their fluffy manes and tails, were way beyond my budget. I contented myself with making my own horses from
“ They will not mind being
plastercine, with cotton manes and tails. How l loved my
squashed into a handbag and
little creations, despite their flaws; heads dropping off, or
the plastercine coming away from the wire armatures;
they should survive nosediving
both during critical moments of play!
onto a concrete floor. ”
As l grew up, l had a brief exposure to Pamela Du Boulay’s Rydal models. These were stunning horses and ponies made from latex rubber, each featuring exquisite
attention to detail while exuding the character of their
breed. Again, l could only aspire to owning one of these
beauties as they were only available for a brief period. I
was to remain unfulfilled in managing to own one.
Years passed and l started Animal Artistry in 1984, making
my own range of resin dogs and horses. Some time after l
went to visit Pamela and asked her about the production
and this has altered my perception of time! Everything to
do with china production takes a long time, plus it is a
rocky road strewn with many disappointing cul-de-sacs.
Every process is labor-intensive and can be dogged with
failure at any time. I am surrounded by plaster molds and
warm kilns. Everything is in place for a happy diversion;
one that has been at the back of my mind for many years.
Getting things done quickly is a thing of the past now
and l want to make something that will fill a yearning l
have had for a long time. Although it has taken me two
years to actually complete my first RubberNedz, and
they are still at the prototype stage, l can now foresee
that l shall be able to produce these horses and ponies
to a high standard. I have never made anything that
has made me smile so much as RubberNedz: they are
charming little creatures that make me very happy. I
make every one for my own pleasure and then find immense satisfaction passing each one on to a new, loving
“forever home”. I can see that the true appeal of a RubberNed is the response it invokes in the viewer; one of
innocence and child-like wonder. They seem to reflect
The mane and tail on this Striking Arabian (left) have been left
long and untrimmed to allow owners to style it to their liking.
“Big hair” is part of the charm of the RubberNedz.
16
Equine Collectibles – Winter 2015