Circa 1930s Britains Rare Gnomes - what fine-looking chaps!

Ok...a few weeks back, I promised to bring you news of my efforts if I was successful in identifying some  old painted lead gnomes that came along with what I nicknamed "The Builders Collection".
"The Builders Collection" was a box of some fantastic old dolls house treasures, all from the 1930s and early wartime 1940s, found by a builder in an old loft that was being renovated. He had thought that the box was a pile of old rubbish and the whole lot had been destined for the skip until he spotted some "Pit-a-Pat" labels underneath various pieces of furniture; he gave me a ring and the rest is history....as they say!

On the lying down gnome I could just make out the remnants of some makers mark but sadly was illegible. So I had to embark on a bit of research. It did take some time but then I finally stumbled across this wonderful old Britains advert....and success.....discovered that they are in fact 1930s Britains lead painted gnomes and quite rare!!!

Not being a particular gnome lover, I have surprised myself how I have fallen in love with these rather fine-looking chaps. I am intrigued though...it says in the advert that these are for the pond or decorative purposes.  They are far too big a scale to be used with the Britains Lead Garden pieces which are 1/32 scale.... so am assuming that as the advert says, that these are meant to be used outside with "real life sized ponds"!?

The gnome lying down measures 2 1/2" in length and the sitting gnome measures 2" high.

They are solid lead so would stand up to the elements to a certain extent but would not recommend them for outside use these days as I understand that  these are now deemed quite rare and valuable.  Instead I would use them to adorn an old dolls house where scale does not matter. How fabulous these could look sitting outside the front of a dolls house or by the back door!

These are now up for sale on KT Miniatures - click on following link to view listing: Antique 1/12th General Page