The Curlew and Other New Bronze Characters From the Workshop
Introducing a new literary character from our collection represents months of craft and work in the studio, countless hours immersed in original illustrations, wax and clay; refining details, capturing expressions, before the final figures are cast in bronze.
We know these pieces inside out. But at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, you finally get to step back, hand the characters over to the crowd, and watch as visitors instantly tie the figures to their own memories, their own beloved stories.
Curlew & Quill and the life of original ideas
Alongside our licensed literary collections, Robert James Workshop has always made room for original creations. Curlew & Quill is the latest addition to this standalone range, joining earlier studio designs such as The Barefoot King and The Bathing King on Whale.
The curlew has long held a place in poetry, folklore, and the wild edges of the British landscape. With its slender bill, elegant form, and unmistakable call, it is a bird that carries the spirit of open moorland and changing tides. We created this sculpture to capture that natural grace and its evocative presence in art and storytelling.
Hot-cast bronze gives these fine details a distinct quality. The material has a natural weight, depth, and a surface that responds beautifully to shifting light.
This particular piece is also a very personal project. Bob’s passion for birds has long shaped the way our collection grows, with everything from Aesop’s Crow, Beatrix Potter’s robins and charming farmyard ducks to the rarified Dodo from the pages of Lewis Carroll – all proving hugely popular over the years.
The Curlew originally began as a private commission, but it has now been moved into a full edition piece, and we expect it to become just as celebrated as the rest of our birds. The reaction to its presence at Chelsea was certainly a good indicator!
Wol joins the Hundred Acre Wood
Wol is the latest addition to our expanding Hundred Acre Wood range. In A.A Milne’s beloved books, Wol is the self-appointed intellectual of the woods – famous for misreading maps, a questionable ability to spell, and offering long, grandiose lectures to Pooh and Piglet.
We designed him to add a sense of vertical scale to garden planting. Placed near a tree trunk or elevated on a stone wall, the polished bronze details catch the light and anchor the space with a distinct, literary presence.
Expanding the series during the Winnie-the-Pooh centenary reminds us why these figures remain so popular. They are rooted in a simple, nostalgic landscape that people might want to replicate in their own private gardens.
Introducing Mr Benjamin Bunny
In the original books, Mr Benjamin Bunny is Peter Rabbit’s confident and entirely undaunted cousin. While Peter is understandably cautious after his close shaves, Benjamin has no qualms about marching right back into Mr McGregor's garden to collect onions and retrieve Peter's lost clothes.
Beatrix Potter’s characters sit beautifully in practical, working spaces – vegetable patches, potting sheds, hedgerows, and brick paths. Their appeal comes directly from those earthy, grounded landscapes, even when a rabbit happens to be sporting a woollen jacket and pipe!
On our Chelsea stand, we positioned Mr Benjamin Bunny elevated on a stone wall right next to a traditional slatted wooden gate, a short hop from the rest of the Beatrix Potter collection. Indeed, he fits in spaces that feel full of life, especially around productive kitchen beds, low borders, and garden plots where herbs, vegetables, and flowers grow together; details that make a sculpture feel like a permanent part of the landscape.
An enchanting literary garden of your own
While Chelsea is a brilliant showcase for our work, choosing a sculpture for a private garden is a much slower, personal decision. Scale and placement both take real consideration. A character has to feel right for the landscape, the planting, the architecture, and the person welcoming it home.
If you would like to learn more about the new pieces launched at Chelsea, request the latest brochure or arrange a gallery appointment, please do get in touch. We would be delighted to continue the conversation.
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