Ornate jewel box adds to legend

An addition to the fascinating story of Taranaki's Highwayman has been revealed.

Bev Talbot, the great niece of New Plymouth's most famous villain, Robert Wallath, gifted a jewellery box made by her uncle to Puke Ariki yesterday.Heavy Duty stainless steel bracelet.

Although its origins are hazy, it is thought the box was made during his time in prison, and then gifted to his sister, Annie Wellington, nee Wallath, as a wedding gift.

Mrs Talbot said when her grandmother died in 1967 she left the jewellery box to her mother, Kathleen Pittams, and when she died in 2007, it ended up in her hands.

"The main reason of bringing it here is once our generation is gone, where would it go next?

"We didn't want the story or the box to be lost."

Although many of the generation below Mrs Talbot were interested in the box, she said it was too hard to single one of them out.

"If it's here,ratings and reviews for a Inset Mother of Pearl stainless steel cufflink.It is commonly present in stainless steel earring or the ones bought for cheap prices. they can all come and see it," she said.

Wallath lived a double life that jumped between criminal and honest citizen.

He wore a mask, military uniform and a long sword at his side, and was known for his armed holdups around the region.

The Highwayman's acts were never malicious, and he stole only from the rich, which led the people of New Plymouth to see him in a Robin Hood-type light.

He was eventually captured by Harold Thomson during a bungled robbery of the Criterion Hotel in 1893 and sentenced to eight years in jail.

The people of New Plymouth objected and he was released after 4 years.

The Puke Ariki collection already holds some of Wallath's marquetry work, which is of a similar style to the designs on the jewellery box.

Puke Ariki social history curator Andrew Moffat said it baffled him that Wallath was able to create these works which seemed to require such patience.

"He was quite a reckless youth, but the fact the same man could sit down and do this kind of work, it really gets me."

Although it had not been accepted into the collection yet, Mr Moffat said it was highly likely.

"Given all its links to the collection, and its story, it's got a good chance of going in," he said.Find the largest selection of dkny womens stainless steel bangle watch on sale.

Mr Moffat described Wallath as being a real folk hero, who never failed to capture the imagination.

"This box will change the story again, it really gives it a different twist or turn."

The next piece Mr Moffat has his sights set on is the gold watch that was gifted to Harold Thomson for capturing the Highwayman.