Hunting Prints & Paintings by Snaffles

Hunting Art Paintings Posters and Gouttelette Prints by Snaffles

Snaffles  (Charles Johnson Payne) was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, on 17th January 1884. His earliest childhood memories were of the Warwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry parading through the streets of Warwick and of the exciting and colourful stories told by his great uncle of the Crimean War. From these memories came Snaffles’ interest in horses and the military, an interest that led him to become one of the foremost sporting and military artists of the 20th Century.

Snaffles began his career as an artist in 1914, reporting on the war in France. Between 1918 and 1939, he focused on country pursuits, producing more than 60 titles for prints covering hunting, polo, pig-sticking and racing. Sadly, most of his original drawings were destroyed in a warehouse fire at the end of the Second World War. The prints, however, can be regarded as original works of art. Although produced photographically, most are hand-coloured by the artist and his sisters, who ran a sort of cottage industry. The best originals should be signed.

The first of his sketches were printed in “The Graphic” in November 1914 and the flow of work from France was seemingly unstemmable, although his eye for detail never suffered at the hand of speed. The patriotic essence of his war work proved popular at home and this led to the reworking of many of his sketches into prints, which were eagerly awaited by his growing following of collectors.

Snaffles also illustrated and wrote books on hunting and military themes, as well as producing his own greetings cards, some printed and hand-coloured, others original sketches – all these items are equally sought after by collectors.