Arthur Bolton Barlow (1845-1879), at Doulton 1871-76, was left a cripple by an inflammation of the hip joint when only thirteen years old. At the suggestion of his doctor, he took up wood carving, at which he proved very adept. A family friend W. G. Rogers, the well-known woodcarver and sculptor, became Arthur’s tutor. Arthur joined his sister Hannah (1851-1916) in London, studying modeling at the Lambeth School of Art in 1869. Arthur studied at the Royal Academy from 1872, while continuing his studies at Lambeth. In 1876 his health deteriorated and he remained an invalid until his death in 1876.
Sadly, Arthur died young, but his exceptional talent and the rarity of his pieces make them valuable additions to a collection.