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James Arnold (Manufacturer)

This is a watercolour drawn and painted by James Arnold in 1965. The watercolour features a Hereford wagon built in 1900 for James Davies of Titley, Herefordshire by William Beddoes of Brilley, H. & W. The wagon has a blue body with red wheels and shafts.

1 painting: watercolour; good condition

MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'PAINTING, watercolour // Transport Land goods horsedrawn // James Arnold, Ledbury, Herefordshire // Hereford Wagon, drawn and painted by James Arnold. 1965 signed by James Arnold. 38x28cm. Dimensions: Light wood frame, glazed 50cm wide x 40.5cm // Associated information: Painting of a wagon owned by James Davies of Titley, Herefordshire, 1900. Wagon built by William Beddoes of Brilleg. Red and blue body, red wheels and shafts. See also attached notes.’, MERL miscellaneous note –‘Notes made by James Arnold, “Rosendale”, Newton, Ledbury, Herefordshire: Mr Davie’s Waggon. // Built in 1900 by William Beddoes of Brilley, nr. Whitney on Wye, for James Davies of Upper Mowley Farm, Titley. Now farmed by C. Jones, Esq. // The undercarriage is missing, but the well preserved differences between this and Mr Beddoes’ ‘Jubilee’ wagon, built for Samuel Meredith of Vualt Farm, and now at St. Fagans. The main standard is a conventional ‘elbow’ instead of the ‘V’. The body is not strictly panelled, but each side is supported by 2 elbows and 2 shallow cupids bows pus an extra ½ bow near the fore end. Like the ‘Jubilee’ there are mid-rathes all round. // The Hereford points of conformity are 1. The sheer of the body. 2. Elbow standards 3. Arrangement of stays 4. Close-set barge rathes 5. Double head-rathes ‘arched’. // A point of non-conformity is the slight cant of the narrow hoop soled wheels. // The ‘faded’ colour of the body is a pale ‘turquiose’ blue, which surely cannot have faded from Prussian blue. There is no lining out but the chamfering is exceptionally well done. There is a hint of mid- Shropshire in the red painted grooves on the sides and head. (It is usual for Blue Herefords to have 2 white ‘oblows’ and Buff H to have 2 blue. Blue Shropshire have 3 rdd oblows.) // The Beddoes main board is elaborate and well lettered, showing the date and builder’s name. with the owner’s name and farm set on arcs.’

Ledbury

1965-01-01

Paper, Paint