Painting - Stuart Reid, Phar Lap with Jim Pike, Oil, Framed, 1931

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This item is on display at Melbourne Museum

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Summary:: Trainer Harry Telford commissioned noted New Zealand equine painter Stuart Reid in 1931 to produce this striking portrait of Phar Lap and jockey Jim Pike. The painting was proudly displayed in the family home for the next 50 years, and was amongst a number of items donated to the museum by the Telford family in the 1990s.
Description:: Large rectangular oil painting, depicting a jockey riding a race horse along a race track. The jockey is wearing a red cap and red jacket with black and white hooped sleeves and is holding a whip. The horse is wearing a saddle and bridle, bit and reins, and is wearing white bandages around the bottom of its front legs. White painted rails run behind the horse, and a grandstand and stable buildings are visible in the background. The painting has been framed in a gold painted plater and wooden frame.
Acquisition Information:: Tax Donation from Mrs Nancy Telford, 1999
Acknowledgement:: Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

Discipline:	History
Dimensions:	910 mm (Height), 1060 mm (Width), 85 mm (Length)

More information

Tagged with:	horse racing, paintings, xpinvo, artists, art, horses, racing industry, sport, sportsmen
Themes this item is part of:	Harry Telford, Race Horse Owner & Trainer (1877-1960), Phar Lap, Champion Race Horse (1926-1932), David Davis, Entrepreneur & Race Horse Owner, Jim Pike, Jockey (1892-1969), Jim Pike, Jockey (1892-1969), Domestic & Community Life Collection, Leisure Collection, Jimmy Pike, Artist (circa 1940-2002), Phar Lap Collection
On Display at:	Melbourne Museum
Primary Classification:	SPORT
Secondary Classification:	Horse Racing
Tertiary Classification:	illustrations
Inscriptions:	Painted in bottom left-hand corner: STUART REID/ 1931
Format:	Painting: Colour
Artist:	Stuart Reid, 1931
Person Depicted:	Jim Pike, 1931

Comments

Jean Bryson Posted on 16 Jun 2010 8:51 AM

Stuart Reid was not British. He was born and educated in New Zealand and went to Britain before coming to Australia where he was appointed as one of Australia's First world war artists. It was in that job that he became particularly interested and expert in horse painting.
His brother in NZ was a personal friend of my family.

Bob Reid Posted on 29 Jan 2011 5:01 PM

Stuart Reid was indeed born a Kiwi. He was my grandfather, George Victor Reid's brother, deceased early 1970's. There remains several of Stuart Reid's original painting in my father's possession and our family have often wondered if there would be any interest in these among art collectors. Many depict Australian scenery and of course, horses. I believe that the Imperial War Museum in London now holds several of his paintings. He was friendly with Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, the heralded aviator whose aircraft is on display at the Adelaide Airport in South Australia.
Kind regards, Bob Reid.
South Australia. January 2011.

Discovery Centre Posted on 17 Feb 2011 1:49 PM

Thanks Jean and Bob for the advice on Stuart Reid's nationality. As you can see from the entry we have now corrected the information to say that he was a New Zealander not English.

David Gifford Posted on 28 Jun 2011 1:43 PM

to Bob Reid...
Hi Bob, my mother befriended your grandmother, Stuart Reid's wife, over 30 years ago on Sydneys north shore. She gave her a few unfinished watercolours depicting world war one bombers in Egypt. They were framed and up on my bedroom wall all throughout my early years...they were eventually donated to the War Memorial in Canberaa, and they are still there in their archives..contact me if you have any further interest...i believe articles of clothing belonging to the original "Lawrence of Arabia" are also in the Museum, donated by Stuarts wife..I believe they knew each other...

sherri hall Posted on 07 Nov 2012 7:09 PM

i have a print of phar lap 1931 with the trth eg paper logo in the right hand top corner an stuart reid on the bottom right can u plz tell me a bit more about it plz there is one simlar but its in a frame an no logo

Renata Teixeira Posted on 08 Mar 2013 5:36 AM

I have been researching the artist Stuart Reid, and I have found many inconsistencies about him. Including his name and nationality.

I wonder if anyone knows where I could find more precise information about him.

Bob Reid, your help would be of great value.

Thank you Renata.

Louise Barbon-Elliott Posted on 05 Apr 2013 12:49 PM

I have a watercolor of a horse and the inscription is Reid '68 and there is further inscription where a Jack makes the painting a gift to Genevieve. I am certain it had been done by a skilled artist. If anyone is interested in whether the art is Stuart Reid, I am happy to make it available. It was bought in a 2nd hand shop in South Melbourne.
Kind regards
Louise