Monsieur Ratsworth Large French Provincial Rat Statue, Rust Cast Iron 40cm

The same rat, four times the weight, and now he owns the doorway.

This is Monsieur Ratsworth at full size, a standing rat cast in solid iron and finished in a natural rust patina, in an open coat over a buttoned waistcoat, breeches and boots, a goblet raised in one hand and the other behind his back. He weighs 9 kg, which is the difference between cast iron and the resin and magnesia pieces that copy this shape. Every button, the pile of the fur and the fall of the coat are worked separately in the casting.

At 40cm he is knee height and stands on the ground rather than on furniture. He is built for outdoor life: 9 kg of iron holds him through wind and weather, and the rust patina is a finish rather than a fault, so weather deepens him instead of wearing him out.

Why we love it

• ◆The scale, 40cm and knee height, which is the difference between a figure you notice and one you walk past
• ◆The weight, 9 kg of solid cast iron, so he stands on open ground without fixing down
• ◆The rust patina, deep amber across the coat, russet in every fold, and it only improves outdoors
• ◆The casting, fur, seams, buttons and the goblet all held at a size where you can actually see them

How to style it

At this size he is furniture, not an ornament, so give him floor and let people walk around him.

• Stand him beside a front door or at the turn of a path
• Set him on gravel or paving with low planting behind so the silhouette reads
• Put him in a hall or a conservatory corner over winter
• Buy the 27cm version as well and stand them together as a large and small
• Group him with the rest of our garden sculptures

Care & Keeping

Wipe with a soft dry cloth to lift dust out of the coat folds and around the goblet. The rust patina is a finished surface and needs no sealing. Place a felt pad or a saucer underneath on pale stone or painted timber, and keep harsh chemical cleaners and abrasive pads away from him.

Because Monsieur Ratsworth is hand-finished, slight variations in patina, texture, and grain are natural and add to the unique character of each piece. Colour may also vary slightly between screens, all photography is taken in natural light.