The artist signing 'Skellhart' Frederick 'Fred' Archer in the Houghton Stakes
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The artist signing 'Skellhart'
Frederick 'Fred' Archer in the Houghton Stakes
signed and inscribed 'F. Archer/Skellhart/from life/Oct 29/1886' (lower left)
oil on canvas
36 x 31.5cm (14 3/16 x 12 3/8in).
with a pair of jockey's spurs mounted to border of frame
Sold for £1,000 inc. premium

Footnotes

  • Archer was, by statistical evaluation, general consent and several furlongs the best race rider of the age.

    On 29 October, 1886, he guided Blanchland home in the Houghton Stakes at Newmarket, riding for his old master the Duke of Falmouth in his famous "black, white and red" colours (pictured here).

    On 4 November he partnered Tommy Tittlemouse in the Castle Selling Plate at Lewes. They were to be, respectively, his last winner and his last ride. On 8 November, back in Newmarket, he shot himself dead. He was 29.

    He was, by any standards in any era, a phenomenal jockey. His 8,084 mounts brought him 2,748 winners. Neither before or since has there been a bigger friend to punters.

Category: Fine Art / Sporting Art

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Henry Baggott Bonhams
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Specialist - Sporting Art