The boules playing area in Bond Court.

[Leodian]

I’ve often passed the boules playing area in Bond Court and so seen the cast figures. It was not though until recently that I really noticed the associated plaque on the ground, so having a camera with me today (Sept 8 2012) I took this photo. One thing that struck me was the 2000 date on the plaque, which was further back than I realised. In addition to the well inscribed lettering on the plaque there is a very roughly cut inscription. Just below ‘Sculptor’ it states “Cast by” and just above ‘Roger Burnett’ it states “Morris (?)inger Foundry” (the first letter of the middle name is hard to decipher but from information I’ve found the full name will likely be Morris Singer Foundry, MSF). I wonder why MSF used such poor lettering on the plaque to note that they cast it?In the ‘Leeds Art Gallery Online’ website it states of the boules court “It was the increased use and awareness of this court, provided by Leeds City Council and the Scurragh Wainwright Trust, after the annual tournament began in 1998, that led to the commissioning of the sculpture which stands here today. The chairman of the Scurragh Wainwright Charity, Martin Wainwright, who started the boules tournament, asked the artist Roger Burnett to create a piece for the court, and the finished work was unveiled by the deputy mayor of Leeds' twin city, Lille, in 2000”, so the boules area has been there since at least 1998 which was even more of a surprise to me!In information I’ve found it states “Morris Singer is a British art foundry, established in 1848, famous for its sculptures, including Eros, the lions at Trafalgar Square and the doors to the Bank of England, plus also the figures of Henry Moore…In 2010 Morris Singer went into administration, and was purchased by the artist Nasser Azam. It was subsequently relaunched as the Zahra Modern Art Foundry”.I took some photos of the figures but it was only when I downloaded them I realised I had not got the child in any! I shall try another day but no doubt there are plenty photos around showing the father, mother and child (and the separate Frenchman in a boules playing pose).    

[Si]

Leodian wrote: It was not until recently that I noticed the associated plaque on the ground. In addition to the well inscribed lettering on the plaque there is a very roughly cut inscription. Just below ‘Sculptor’ it states “Cast by” and just above ‘Roger Burnett’ it states “Morris (?)inger Foundry” (the first letter of the middle name is hard to decipher but from information I’ve found the full name will likely be Morris Singer Foundry, MSF). I wonder why MSF used such poor lettering on the plaque to note that they cast it?     Hi Leo.My guess is that the plaque is sand-cast. The neater type is cast from the original mould, but the rougher lettering is literally written in the sand.    

[Leodian]

Hi Si Thanks for that. The 'Cast by Morris Singer Foundry' does look like it is written (it is more legible in the original non-reduced photo but still clearly of poorer definition than the main wording). With wear as people continue to walk on the plague I guess it won't be that long before even the main words become indistinct.