Border Fine Arts James Herriot Collection Sow & Piglets Figurine – Ray Ayres, 1985

A charming farmyard scene from Border Fine Arts’ James Herriot Collection, the range inspired by the much-loved All Creatures Great and Small vet stories. A contented sow sits beside a stone feeding trough while her litter gets on with the important business of piglet life: one is climbing right into the trough, another is perched on the rim, a couple are dozing with blissful smiles, and one has found a stray carrot on the ground. It was modelled by Ray Ayres, one of Border Fine Arts’ best-known sculptors, who modelled pieces for the James Herriot Collection from its 1982 launch. The detail is typical of his work. The straw-strewn base, the cabbage leaves and carrots in the trough, and each piglet’s expression are all individually hand-painted. Available at La La Vintage 67 Semaphore Road, Semaphore SA 5019 (Next to Odeon Cinema) OPEN 10am-4pm EVERYDAY