A group of five wooden painted soldiers The Buffs by Lt E.V Howell c. 1929

A group of wooden painted soldiers from The Buffs by Lt E.V Howell c. 1929. Lieutenant Ernest Vernon Howell was born on 7th May 1891 and was commissioned into the Royal Artillery on 8th September 1917. He was promoted Lieutenant on 4th March 1919 and discharged from the army on 16th June 1920.
In May 1929 he wrote to the Curator of Lancaster Museum on hearing the news of the establishment of the King's Own Museum. He wrote "I am an invalided ex officer (retired) and have now taken up my former hobby of painting etc to support myself and family. I am specialising in sketches etc of past and present uniforms of the British Army."

A figure of  11 inches high and cost 6 shillings and 6 pence each. Figures were also available at 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 feet high. (25, 35, 50, 70 shillings and £5 5 shillings respectively).
"The wooden figures in my opinion" he wrote "make the more interesting exhibits for museum purposes, the two foot and three foot sizes being most suitable. They are large enough to shew the small details which are often so important in uniforms.
Lieutenant Howell had already provided figures to the Royal Scots Regiment, Royal Scots Fusiliers, The Rifle Brigade, The Worcester Regiment and The Border Regiment.

These figures depict a Field Officer of the Buffs (1688) A Sergeant Major of the Buffs (1796), A Fifer of the Buffs (1815), A Private of the buffs (1829) and a Bugler of the Buffs (1848).

Occasionally Howell’s figures surface and it is always a delight when they do. It is especially nice to find a group from the same Regiment. Each piece is signed by Howell.

Measuring:   11” tall - 12" tall

English, c 1929