Myrna Schkolne: Early Staffordshire Figures

Sighted at the NYCF was this extraordinary Staffordshire figure.

Pearlware figure of a large cow on the stand of Elinor Penna at the New York Ceramics Fair.

What colorful, naive appeal! All those US folk art collectors chasing large weather vanes formed as cows would have done better to pursue this gorgeous cow. It did not have the stratospheric tag associated with weather vanes on the US market! I believe it left the Ceramic Fair tucked beneath the strong arm of its new owner.

To help gauge size, note that the picture hanging behind the cow measures about 17" in width.

Have you seen the unusual bull baiting figure that sold at Bonhams UK last month for just over GBP 2600, including charges? Interestingly, this bull baiting figure, pictured below, uses a particularly attractive base that is also found on other figures in the 'Sherratt' style ( such as Death of Munro, Doctor Syntax, and even a Polito's Menagerie).

Clearly, the figure had some damage. Bull's horns, dogs' legs--these are not atypical injuries to a baited bull. The tail was obviously broken, but I believe the pieces were still available to the new owner. The knotted rope that goes under the bull was missing. This is an injury I don't like, and I hope the new owner just leaves the figure without rope, rather than "restoring". A restoration dead center hurts my eye. Unknown Buyer, please, please don't restore that rope!

We are all familiar with the usual 'Sherratt'-style bull baiting, as below. This figure measures 13.25 inches across. Rarely, it can occur on a mound base..

Clearly, this traditional bull baiting figure includes a man, and two plaques, one reading BULL-BEATING and the other NOW CAPTIN LAD.  Bonhams' bull baiting had only one title plaque and no man. But the NOW CAPTIN LAD plaque was omitted because the man was omitted!  Those are the encouraging words uttered by the man to either his bull or dogs.

The bull measures the same size in both figures above. But note that 'Sherratt' did also make smaller bull baitings incorporating smaller bulls--rare examples (one with a man, one without) are pictured in my book. These smaller bull baitings are on mound bases.

But a word of caution. Never confuse smaller versions of the traditional 'Sherratt' bullbaiting on a table base with the real thing. These small figures were made as late as 1960.  They appear at auction routinely, and they are routinely erroneously cataloged as early 19th century figures. Click on the tab BELIEVE IT? at the top of this page, scroll down, and you will see one of these ugly little 6 inch things. If I win the lottery, I am going to try and buy each and every one so I can smash them all. They disgust me. I am offended at auction houses confusing these nasty figures with The Real Thing. And I am tired of collectors making costly mistakes.

Back to the Bonhams' bull. A lot of money? Yes. But try to find another like it at any price. If you do, let us know!

Three grief stricken ladies. Who are they? These figures are catalogued incorrectly SO frequently that it has taken me a while to sort out who is who...and why. So here goes.

1. Andromache Weeping Over the Ashes of Hector

 Andromache weeping over the ashes of Hector, a mezzotint byThomas Burke  after Angelica Kauffman, published by WW Rylands,1771. 

Apologies for the bad picture. The first figure is clearly Andromache weeping over the ashes of Hector because it is derived from a print so titled. I must admit that until I found the print, I had some trouble believing this. Hector was killed in the Trojan War and his body was returned to Andromache. The Iliad describes Andromache as lamenting over Hector's body--not his ashes! Jacques-Louis David's oil painting of c1780 also shows Andromache weeping over Hector's body--neither an ash nor an urn in sight. Seems that Angelica Kauffman painted the scene (with ashes?), inspiring the mezzotint above. Derby had made figures after the mezzotint by 1780, and this probably inspired earthenware look-alikes--usually made in Leeds.

2. Charlotte at the Tomb of Werther.

Staffordshire figure of Charlotte at the Tomb of Werther. Circa 1790-1810. Height approx. 9".

The Sorrows of Young Werther was a German novella published in 1774. Werther kills himself when he cannot have Charlotte, the woman he loves. Charlotte buries him under a linden tree. Again there is no mention of ashes, so is the figure clutching a funeral urn Charlotte?
Fascinating factoid.
The linden tree, a.k.a. the basswood tree, is known as the tree of lovers because of its heart-shaped leaves. I have one bang outside my office window and love watching the squirrels and woodpeckers play in it! 
Goethe's book was first published in English in 1779. In 1785, a tragic adaptation by Frederick Reynolds debuted on the London stage. Derby modeled Charlotte Weeping for Werther around then, and the first Staffordshire figures, some looking like the Derby ones (did Derby copy Staffordshire, or was it the other way around?), were probably made in this period.

Interestingly, a molded relief of Charlotte at the Tomb of Werther is found on a Wedgwood ware. The design shows a classically attired maiden, kneeling with head bowed, at the base of a funeral urn that is mounted on a plinth. The design, by Lady Elizabeth Templetown, was issued by Wedgwood in 1790.

Wedgwood medallion, late 18th century, depicting Charlotte at the Tomb of Werther. In the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum.

Yes, I know Wedgwood's design is far removed from our figure. Yet there is no getting away from the urn on a pillar that appears with both the Staffordshire figures and the Wedgwood design. Did the figures influenced Lady Elizabeth Templeton's design, or was it the other way around? Which came first? I don't know. But any way you look at it, figure #2 appears to be Charlotte at the Tomb of Werther.

This caricature of 1788 is as close as I can come for a pictorial source for the figure. Somehow, it's not in the right spirit!!...but don't you love it!

3. Agrippina with Germanicus's Ashes. If you look at my blog posting of Dec 16, 2008, you will see a seated lady clutching a funeral urn. (See the picture below.)  I explain that Halfpenny dubs this figure Antonia with Germanicus's Ashes. However, the figure really depicts Agrippina with Germanicus's Ashes--probably the figure was derived from Runciman's print of c1772 that now belongs to the Tate.

Staffordshire figure of Agrippina with the Ashes of Germanicus. Circa 1800. H:~8"

The Tate says of this etching: "A large picture of this subject by another Scottish artist, Gavin Hamilton, is also in the Tate's collections; it was shown at the Royal Academy in 1772, the probable year of this etching. Runciman himself produced an oil painting on the theme for the R.A. in 1780. The subject was therefore a standard one for the neo-classical period, and Runciman's treatment of it here sums up the Grecian inspiration of the time.

Many  thanks to my friends in New Zealand for posing this interesting question.

I frequently am asked to authenticate the Tithe Pig figure, below, that is too commonly sold as an early 19th century figure.

Similarly, I receive email enquiries about the age of Tenderness, below.

Both figures are reproductions of early 19th century figures. They were made by the Kent factory, which operated until around 1960. I don't know the exact year these figures were made, but my kindest guess would be early 1900s. Please don't mistake these for genuine early figures.

I know this comes as sad news to those who buy these figures believing they are c1825. I am always asked how I know I am correct. Firstly, the color palette--especially the green--is wrong to my eye. Secondly, the modeling is too clumsy and stiff. Thirdly, the Tenderness figure is marked Walton and the letters for both Tenderness and Walton are lacking serifs. Early Walton Tenderness figures use serifs on the letters of both the title and the name. Factoid: the Walton mark can be found with the letters impressed or raised...but the letters always have serifs.

I have seen both these figures listed incorrectly so often. But this month, Sworders UK got it right! Thank you, Sworders.

I know it is Buyer Beware, but perhaps if we all shout out every time we see incorrect listings, we can save other collectors from costly mistakes.

Was I people-watching at the NYCF? I could have been, because apparently quite a few well-known personalities shop here...but of course, I figure-watched instead. One of the more unusual items on sale was the large chariott, on the stand of Elinor Penna.

Wikipedia says that 'the chariot is the earliest and simplest type of carriage, used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples." But to pottery collectors, it is one of the rarer figure groups, and here the bocage was in good shape.

This particular chariot is pulled by two lions and faces left. A similarly styled chariot, facing right and pulled by two lions, is in my photo archive. Wouldn't they make a wonderful pair? Reach deep into your pocket though. A chariot sold at Doyle's last January for $48,000 before buyer's premium--making it around $58,000 all in. Elinor's chariot was more gently priced and in better condition, and now that conspicuous consumption is a thing of the past, who would want two anyway?