Lot 563: Stanley Nicholson Babb (English 1874-1957): A bronze group of soldiers in battle

depicting two turbanned Indian soldiers, one advancing with bayonette raised the other on one knee in the action of hurling a grenade, raised on a shaped marble plinth, signed and indistinctly dated 1920, dark brown patenation, 28cm high .

Stanley Nicholson Babb received a number of military commissions in the 1920's in the wake of the first world war and it seems likely that this model was commisioned by the Indian base unit of Outrams rifles. The lot is accompanied by a letter from the artist to a Colonel Cassels regarding the colouration of this group, photos from the artist and a Christmas card from the Outrams rifles with a photo of a larger version of the bronze in situ in the officers mess. We may reasonably suppose that Colonel Cassels took the opportunity to purchase his own cast at the time of commission.