Information about 'The Better 'Ole' cartoon by Bruce Bairnsfather
Link to website devoted to Captain Bruce Bairnsfather
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World War One era white bone china lidded tobacco jar featuring a transferred print of a Bruce Bairnsfather cartoon in sepia tones. It has a flat base, curved sides with a concave top and wide opening to accommodate the circular lid.
The cartoon on two of the sides is a well-known Bairnsfather image which depicts two soldiers standing in a trench with explosions and gunfire going off behind them, while Old Bill is seated and tells them 'Well, if you knows of a better ‘ole, go to it'.
The image on the other two sides of the jar show a bird singing while perched on some wooden stumps held together by barbed wire.
Around the top of the jar are images of a German military helmet, a water bottle, a British tin hat, an opened tin of plum and apple jam, a bucket full of holes, and an empty corned beef container being scavenged by a rodent, all separated by clumps of grass.
Around the edge of the lid are decorative depictions of Old Bill's eyes, nose and moustache.
The lid has a triangular metal attachment used to seal with contents of the jar. It comprises a central metal screw and metal springs attached to the three metal arms.
The maker's details appear on the base, along with an image of Old Bill, a number and a sticker.
According to the Australian War Memorial, cartoons by English serviceman Bruce Bairnsfather reached their height of popularity towards the end of the First World War. His definitive down-trodden but happily defiant 'Old Bill' character quickly became a favourite.
To cater to the public demand for his Western Front cartoons, many companies vied for licences to reproduce his work on a variety of media. Grimwade Pottery of Stoke-on-Trent (later Royal Winton) was successful in securing an agreement in 1917 and commenced producing cheap and cheerful transferware examples of Bairnsfather's cartoons on a wide selection of their wares. Grimwade's was able to ride Bairnsfather's wave of popularity well into the mid 1920s before war-weariness overtook the public. The cartoon reproduced on this cup is typical of the grim humour employed by Bairnsfather.
There are several items relating to 'Old Bill' in the collection including cartoon books, postcards and a boxed cardboard/papier mache figurine of 'Old Bill'.
On base of jar:
"A SOUVENIR OF
THE
GREAT WAR"
"COMMENCED AUG 4TH 1914
ARMISTICE NOV 11TH 1918
PEACE SIGNED JUNE 28TH 1919"
"Bairnsfather Ware
GRIMWADE'S
STOKE ON TRENT
"Old Bill"
4281"
On sticker:
"24"
Information about 'The Better 'Ole' cartoon by Bruce Bairnsfather
Link to website devoted to Captain Bruce Bairnsfather
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