£5,000
BEN CAUNT SALT GLAZE BUST. 13.6ins tall. A very impressive, wonderfully detailed, upper torso sculpture of the famous bare knuckle boxer. Quite crude overall finish in a variating, mainly mid brown, salt glaze. A great deal of impressed lettering around the sides of the bottom plinth, his name in raised letters below his waistcoat. Slightly indecipherable modeller name & date, 1844, to rear. Ben Gaunt (1814-1861) stood almost 6ft 3ins & weighing in at around 18 stones he was affectionately known as Big Ben &, remotely linked to the naming of the famous Westminster clock! His f irst public fight was in Hucknall & within a year he faced the English champion Bendigo Thompson, disqualified in the 22nd round for hitting him whilst down. Two years later he beat Bendigo in a famous 76 round battle becoming the English champion. His success led to good earnings in exhibition fights in America. In 1845, after defeating Bendigo a 2nd time, they met in a 96 rounder, & was disqualified - cheating tactics were common? He retired at 45 (1857) & became a landlord& fight promoter at the Coach & Horses at St Martins Lane, London, having a f inal fight to settle a wife dispute - drawing with the then English heavy weight champion. On his death a mask was made of his face & he was laid to rest in Hucknall. Minor base nick & in manufacture glazed over f law. Two other examples are known, one (reglued) in Nottingham Museum. A significant offering.
9.0/10
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