Attributed to Thomas Bardwell (1704-1767), Ned Baldry’s shell horse in a landscape painting

Captain Suckling, Hampshire in 1910

Sold as lot 226 , Bonhams, The Contents of The Old Rectory, Banningham, 22^nd-24^th March 2004, Banningham, Norfolk (£87,500)

Literature:
M. Kirby Talley, ‘Thomas Bardwell of Bungay, Artist and Author 1704-1767’, Walpole Society, Vol.XLVI, p.154, no.146

Edward Baldry (1705-1759) was taken in by the stables of Woodton Hall, Norfolk, home of the Suckling family, at the age of thirteen and rose to become huntsman to the Woodton Hunt. The story is recounted in Deer Hunting in Norfolk, where Baldry bought an old horse to feed the hounds, but after consideration decided to breed the mare from which a skewbald foal was born. The foal depicted in this piece is named after the Norfolk term for skewbald coat which is ‘shell.’ After the death of Denzil Suckling in 1747, Bardwell inherited 'the fine pack of hounds and the old 'shelled horse,' where he is known took these to Ireland and France before returning to Woodton. He is also known to have hunted for the King at Versailles.