Hen Pecked

This adorable flock of hens, made to look as if they are busily picking up treats, was made by John Round, a wood craftsman from England who now works in Inglewood. John originally trained as a draughtsman with the British Steel Corporation, but his true passion was making beautifully designed toys. His toys are all handmade and each is unique, with no mass production involved in any element of their design, harking back to the simple yet creative ideals of Victorian toy design. Each of the hens are made with a different New Zealand timber – the darkest hen is made out of kohekohe, a soft wood from a tree found in lowland and coastal forests which is unusual in that its flowers sprout directly from its branches. The next darkest hen, directly across from its kohekohe friend, is made from tōtara, renowned for its hard wood and straight, knot free growth. The reddish-gold hen is made from kauri, showing off the wood’s beautiful range of tones. Finally, the palest hen is made from mataī, also known as black pine, although its wood is a paler colour than its English name might show! None of John’s toys are painted. Instead, he uses linseed oil to accentuate the natural appeal of the wood. The hens are weighted down by a small rope which makes them move their heads in a very henny fashion indeed!