Recently a customer from many years ago got in touch with us and after further correspondence it turns out that she had written this poem about the unicorns I had sent her.

Two by Two

Ok ok so I didn’t climb into your ark,
but it wasn’t only me remember?
Two by two down into the dark.
Anyway, we are rather afraid
of dark.

Creatures of light, unicorns
dance and dazzle nearer God than man.
And I tell you something
HE was not happy with mankind
except for you Noah.

We tried to be good, we meant to obey.
If only the sun hadn’t shone so brightly
or the queue been quite as long, slithering,
plodding and creeping in to safety
and darkness.

Oh that noise! The cacophony of all creation
after the peace of mountain tops
where only we could be heard. Alone.
Praising God, celebrating life
and light.

Forgive me for mentioning it, but consider the stench.
The flank by flank, the side by side,
the ox lying down with the ass of it all.
“We love you God. But NO!’ we thought
“But no.”

So we danced in the last light of our world,
ate fresh green shoots, pranced
and galloped on the highest mountain
as the flood washed us away into legend
with our Earth.

Shame we missed the rainbow, the promise,
the dove of peace, the olive branch.
Tell me, these new people, do they remember?
Do they cherish their Earth?
Do they dance forever
in peace?

Sue Gordon, Sandwich Bay

My wooden Noah’s Ark sets were inspired by the traditional ones I first saw in the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood,  Like those, mine are hand-made and richly painted, designed to be pleasing to the eye and hand, and strong enough to withstand vigorous play.

Each Noah’s Ark set is an individual selection from within my existing range of ark designs, and over 100 different pairs of animals.  The list continues to grow.  Both children and adults have asked me to create everything from exotic, extinct and mythical animals, to family pets. I can also make bespoke arks, based on your own home. Contact for details

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David Plagerson Handcrafted Noah’s Arks

Handmade Noah’s Ark in Natural Wood

All my Ark sets are handmade in the workshop at the bottom of my garden in Devon. The ‘Ark Set in Mixed Woods’ is a collection of 12 pairs of animals whose character is best expressed by the rounded forms and natural decorative qualities of the woods. The Ark set is a library of woods, mostly locally sourced.  Among those I use are pitch pine, black walnut, apple, pear, magnolia, sapele, sycamore, oak, yew, cherry.  sourced.   The Ark is made from ‘clearer and better’ Columbian pine, and a roof and the house lift off. The set is finished in beeswax which serves to enhance and protect the surface of the different timbers. With each ark I include a list of the woods in that particular set. Through handling, the collection becomes a means of identifying the different woods.

Size 20” x 13” x 7”

Contact for details

David Plagerson Handcrafted Noah’s Arks

My wooden Noah’s Ark sets were inspired by the traditional ones I first saw in the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood,  Like those, mine are hand-made and richly painted, designed to be pleasing to the eye and hand, and strong enough to withstand vigorous play.

Each Noah’s Ark set is an individual selection from within my existing range of ark designs, and over 100 different pairs of animals.  The list continues to grow.  Both children and adults have asked me to create everything from exotic, extinct and mythical animals, to family pets. I can also make bespoke arks, based on your own home.

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This hand painted Noah’s ark incorporates the dove and olive branch motif from the biblical story of Noah.  I identify my various arks by their frieze.  All the traditional arks are based on medieval German houses with tiled roofs, the frieze above the windows and stone quoins that reinforce the corners of the buildings.

My hand-painted animals celebrate nature’s rich variety of pattern, stripes, spots, camouflage and decoration.

As a guide I have priced this hand painted Noah’s ark with 12 pairs from the main list of animals, but you can have as many or as few as you like.  The ark is made from Columbian pine, and a roof and the house lift off.  The animals are in lime wood, decorated using non-toxic paint and varnish.

Size: 20” x 13” x 7”
The ark can be inscribed with the recipient’s name

Contact for details

“I made my first Noah’s Ark when my daughter was small, and the one-off became a life’s work.” To read more click here…

Handmade Noah’s Arks made from locally sourced materials in Devon. Individually designed and handcrafted. Unique Noah’s Arks in wood, made in the UK.

“…when modelling a Mixed Woods Ark, special attention is giving to the animal’s  faces, to give them a real sense of character. What makes me happiest is all the correspondence I receive from parents saying how much their children love playing with my toys.”

David Plagerson Handcrafted Noah’s Arks

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Wooden Noah’s Ark

Whilst keeping to a traditional formula for wooden ark decoration, this uses a brighter and more modern colour scheme that makes the most of the warmth of the Columbian pine on the roof and boat.  This is the only one of my wooden arks that I finish in a matt varnish

As a guide I have priced the Ark with 10 pairs from the main list, but you can have as many or as few as you like.  A roof and the house lift off.  The animals are in lime wood, decorated using non-toxic paint and varnish.

Size: 20” x 13” x 7”
The ark can be inscribed with the recipient’s name.

Contact for details

David Plagerson Handcrafted Noah’s Arks

My wooden Noah’s Ark sets were inspired by the traditional ones I first saw in the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood,  Like those, mine are hand-made and richly painted, designed to be pleasing to the eye and hand, and strong enough to withstand vigorous play.

Each Noah’s Ark set is an individual selection from within my existing range of ark designs, and over 100 different pairs of  wooden animals.  The list continues to grow.  Both children and adults have asked me to create everything from exotic, extinct and mythical animals, to family pets. I can also make bespoke arks, based on your own home.

David Plagerson’s ark sets could be bought ready painted like this example or unpainted with a beeswax finish.

Many customers build up their sets over a period of time. Usually they start with an Ark and I post them a pair of animals each month.

“…when modelling a wooden toy, special attention is giving to the animal’s  faces, to give them a real sense of character. What makes me happiest is all the correspondence I receive from parents saying how much their children love playing with my toys.”

This is my most richly decorated handcrafted ark and includes a classical decoration painted round the doorway at one end. My original training was as a painter and whilst teaching art in the East End of London, I discovered the collection of antique Noah’s Arks in the Bethnal Green Museum.  I was inspired to make my own version of this traditional toy and one of my early arks is now on permanent display in the museum.

As a guide I have priced the Ark with twelve pairs from the main animals list, but you can have as many or as few as you like.  The ark is handcrafted from Columbian pine, and a roof and the house lift off.  The animals are in lime wood, decorated using non-toxic paint and varnish.

Size: 20” x 13” x 7”
The ark can be inscribed with the recipient’s name

Contact for details

My wooden Noah’s Ark sets were inspired by the traditional ones I first saw in the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood, like those, mine are handcrafted and richly painted, designed to be pleasing to the eye and hand, and strong enough to withstand vigorous play.

Each Noah’s Ark set is an individual selection from within my existing range of ark designs, and over 100 different pairs of animals.  The list continues to grow.  Both children and adults have asked me to create everything from exotic, extinct and mythical animals, to family pets. I can also make bespoke arks, based on your own home.

“…when modelling a Painted Ark, special attention is giving to the animal’s  faces, to give them a real sense of character. What makes me happiest is all the correspondence I receive from parents saying how much their children love playing with my toys.”

David Plagerson Handcrafted Noah’s Arks