4 - A silver sculpture of Eclipse.

A silver sculpture of Eclipse. James Osborne (1940-1992), cast by the Phoenix Bronze Art Foundry, London, 1994. The silver sculpture modelled in galloping pose, with off fore raised and near hind extending behind, signed J. Osborne, raised on a polished Brecciated jasper base, 32.8cm high, 51cm wide, base 16.1 x 42cm, approx. weight (exc. marble base), 206.8ozt *ARR Provenance: Property of a gentleman. Purchased by the vendor from the Osborne Studio Gallery in 2001. Footnote: This model of Eclipse was cast from a limited edition of thirty bronze sculptures. An insurance valuation from the Osborne Studio Gallery (dated 2001) states that it is the only model of this limited edition to have been cast in silver. Eclipse remains one of racing's greatest equestrian legends. Born under and named after the solar eclipse of 1764, the British thoroughbred went unbeaten in eighteen races and won eleven King's Plates before retiring to stud in 1770. At top speed, he is attested to have covered twenty-five feet in a single stride. He died at the age of twenty-five, and a necropsy revealed that he had an unusually large heart. This trait appears to have been passed down through his bloodline to other prolific winners including Secretariat and Phar Lap. In 1988 James Osborne was commissioned by the American philanthropist, art lover and horse breeder, Paul Mellon to sculpt a two-thirds life-size bronze sculpture of Eclipse. For this commission, Osborne studied Eclipse’s skeleton, housed in the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket, and a thesis from the Royal Veterinary College written by the vet who dissected the body of the horse in the 18th century. The vet’s thesis contained measurements of the horse’s anatomy, which Osborne used to create his sculpture. Osborne sculpted the two-thirds life-size clay model in a stable at Sefton Lodge, Newmarket, from which an edition of three bronzes was cast using the lost wax process. One of these three bronzes was unveiled by Paul Mellon at Newmarket Racecourse. The second stands at the Royal Veterinary College and the third is in private hands. Osborne donated £25,000 of his fees for this commission to the Injured Jockeys’ Fund. From the maquette, an edition of thirty bronzes was produced. These proved hugely popular and sold out within two years. James Osborne died suddenly in 1992 and in 1993 his widow gave permission for a single maquette to be cast in silver. Osborne’s patrons included members of the Royal Family; in 1988 he was commissioned to sculpt a half life-size bronze of the Queen’s horse, Burmese. This sculpture now stands in the Mews Museum in Windsor. His obituary in The Times described him as ‘one of the top British sculptors of this century’, lauding him for his ability to capture the vitality, power and strength of his equestrian subjects.