Brian Sanders (British, B. 1937) "River Police" Original Watercolor painting on Paper.

Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

The history of the British Police Force is nearly as old as England itself. In 1066, when the Normans conquered England, a system of public protection and safety was established. In this system, men sixteen years old and over were required to stand watch and ward duty for their town. On such assignments the men questioned travelers who were on the road after nightfall and held suspicious persons in custody. They also patrolled the streets to quiet disturbances and prevent crime. If a crime was committed, all able-bodied men joined with the men on watch in a hue and cry, or a chase to capture the suspect. As towns grew, the policing systems also became larger and more organized. By 1800, London had its own special police to guard the docks, the marketplace, and other selected locations. In 1829, Londoner Sir Robert Peel organized the London Metropolitan Police, a body of trained and paid policemen who guarded the city both by day and by night. Named after their founder, these officers were soon known throughout London as "bobbies" or "peelers." The name stuck and to this day, the Metropolitan Police Force is referred to by the name "bobbies." Today, this force is a far cry from that of the early days. It is a league of professional crime fighters and dedicated public servants, skilled in modern police procedures.

Image Size: 12 x 14 in.
Overall Size: 13.75 x 19.5 in.
Unframed.
(B05334)

- By registering to bid for this auction either in-house or online and/or placing a bid in this auction the BIDDER/BUYER agrees to all the terms and conditions of Helmuth Stone Gallery Auctions.

- All silver, gold and/or jewelry lots or invoices containing said lots MUST be paid for via WIRE TRANSFER, no other forms of payment will be accepted.

- All items are sold as-is where-is and no guarantees are made of any kind. All sales are final; no refunds will be given under any circumstances.

- Helmuth Stone Gallery provides condition reports as a courtesy to our clients and assumes no liability for any error or omission. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client and is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Descriptions are our opinions and should in no way be construed as a guarantee of any kind as to age, condition, mater. The bidder assumes responsibility for ensuring that the condition of the item(s) meets with their satisfaction prior to bidding. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.

- Online images can sometimes be low quality due to the uploading process, original high-resolution images can be requested via email at HelmuthStone@gmail.com

- We recommend looking into shipping quotes prior to bidding, shipping quotes can take up to a week or more post-sale as we host our auctions through multiple online platforms and shipping can become backlogged, if you would like a list of local shippers please email us directly.

- Our auction catalogs are hosted through multiple online platforms along with phone and in-house bidding. Bids placed on other platforms are not shown through this catalog. Because of this, even if it appears you are the only absentee bid or bidder on a lot, you may already be outbid or may have placed a bid equal to another bidder. Therefore, we always recommend bidding live.

- Unless otherwise stated in the description, all items are sold without additional documentation or COAs. If any supporting documentation is available an image will be available online via the catalog listing.

13.75 x 19.5 in