I love Staffordshire figures of sheep. I own a flock that grazes away the day on its own shelf. And on occasion, the same flock is scattered across our dining table when we entertain. Candlelight on pearlware bodies....divine!  But Staffordshire cows on the other hand, usually leave me cold. Their bulky forms, frequently posed looking down as they graze, is generally unexciting. Athere is an exception to every rule, and wonderful examples do exist. It just takes some hunting to find them.

Pair of pearlware Staffordshire figures of cows. H: 7-1/2". From the stock of Elinor Penna.

Recently, I was tickled to find this spiffy pairs of cows among Elinor Penna's stock. These are quite uncommon models, and well sized at about 7-1/2" each. Certainly not the run-of-the-mill bored bovines-with-calves that our potters produced in abundance. I found a single (the cow facing to the left) in Saffron Walden Museum when I visited in 2005, but this is the first pair I have encountered. Again, finding the rarities is what makes collecting fun.

 


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