During the first quarter of the 20th century Herbert St. John Jones, an artist in both watercolour and oils, was an animal painter with a reputation for excellence throughout the United Kingdom.

Herbert’s most common subjects were hunters, but he also painted other types and breeds of horses as well as hounds, meets, dogs and cattle. Later in life he also painted signs for local inns. His work is in many public and private collections, including the Nantwich museum.

As a painter of animal portraits, Herbert St John Jones worked for a number of famous and distinguished clients and the subjects of his paintings have an effect on the overall value. King Edward VII owned one of Herbert’s paintings of an Ayrshire bull and several other animals belonged to similarly illustrious owners. Herbert himself kept a list of commissions and copies of letters of thanks and a painting with good provenance connected with an important client is much sought after by collectors.