Equestrian Sculpture

Toronto, Canada: NC Press Limited, 1986. First Edition . Hard Back. Very Good/Very Good. 9' X 11. Pon, Doe - Cover Design. 64 Pages. Book is clean with a square, tight binding. Dust jacket has a 3/4 inch closed tear at the bottom corner. Interior text and illustration pages appear unmarked. Inspired as a child by the power and beauty of bronze, and particularly equestrian, sculpture, Ralph Sketch gained early instruction and encouragement to "make a horse". While living in London, England he visited the studio of Adrian Jones, the celebrated British sculptor who, along with Frederic Remington, became one of his ideals. Many years later, after success in the insurance business, he turned his hobby into a second career as a sculptor. In this unique book, he describes in words and photographs, the lost wax process of bronze sculpture. A lover of horses, his small bronzes, capture with whimsy and truth, a broad range of equestrian activities, including hunting, racing and show jumping. Ralph Sketch created the McKee Trophy given for the international jumping competition held during Toronto's Royal Winter Fair. An enthusiastic student of Canada's past, much of his work brings to life important, and sometimes, overlooked moments in our history. His historical bronzes, in corporate collections such as the Secord Candy Company, and in museums, parks and public buildings across the country, are a lasting legacy for all Canadians. Laid in is an 8 x 10 color photograph of a Bronze Equestrian statue in a Texas field with bookseller Don Pierce standing nearby. The picture was taken near Cleburne, Texas and no one seems to know how it got there but it probably was created by a local Cleburne artist.