Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at Young V&A
Imagine Gallery, Small Worlds, Case 1, Shelf 4

This object consists of 2 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Lundy Lifeboat

Toy Lifeboat
1979 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

“Halfpenny Houses” is a toymaking company in Bideford, North Devon. It was begun as a wood-working business in the late 1970s by Mark and Gillian Heal. They produced wooden toys such as dolls’ houses and boats. Since 1981, however, it has been a soft toy company making dolls and rattles designed by Gillian Heal.

These boats of varnished wood were made in 1979 by Halfpenny Houses. They were sold in Habitat as well as through mail order catalogues in Switzerland, Holland and France.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Lifeboat
  • Toy
  • Packaging
TitleLundy Lifeboat (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Carved and turned wood, painted; PVC, string
Brief description
Wooden boat, 'Lundy Lifeboat', made in England by Halfpenny Workshops in 1979
Physical description
The boat is painted dark blue on the outside with a red plastic horizontal stripe. The lifeboat contains four peg-like figures with painted faces, wearing simplified yellow plastic oilskins and sou'westers.

It was contained in a clear plastic bag with a red and yellow label: 'Halfpenny Boats / Beautiful boats for playing with on land or water for young nautical enthusiasts / from the boat yard of Halfpenny Houses, Bideford, N.Devon, England'. The bag is marked with an adhesive label bearing the name of the boat.
Dimensions
  • Length: 22.2cm
Marks and inscriptions
'Made by Halfpenny Houses, Bideford, N.Devon, England.' (Adhesive label)
Gallery label
This lifeboat can be played with on land or water by young nautical enthusiasts. Made in England by Halfpenny Houses.(2005)
Credit line
Given by Mark and Gillian Heal
Object history
Given to the Museum in 1979 by Mark and Gillian Heal.
Subjects depicted
Summary
“Halfpenny Houses” is a toymaking company in Bideford, North Devon. It was begun as a wood-working business in the late 1970s by Mark and Gillian Heal. They produced wooden toys such as dolls’ houses and boats. Since 1981, however, it has been a soft toy company making dolls and rattles designed by Gillian Heal.

These boats of varnished wood were made in 1979 by Halfpenny Houses. They were sold in Habitat as well as through mail order catalogues in Switzerland, Holland and France.
Collection
Accession number
MISC.51-1979

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Record createdFebruary 23, 2004
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