Sheep Family 07/26/2009
Once upon a time, while slogging away at my book, I came across an unusual little Staffordshire figure of a sheep. The figure was definitely early (pre-Victorian), but the bocage was molded in one and was quite flat on the back. The figure was painted all the way around, but the bocage was flat. Mentally--but not in print!--I called this sheep "The Last Bocage Figure" because it seemed to represent a transition to the simpler modeling of the Victorian era. Was this the beginning of the birth of flat backed figures? No way of knowing...but it did keep me guessing. Cheerful little figure, isn't it?  In the next few years, I saw another couple of examples of the same sheep. Always the sheep faced left. Surely there had to be one facing right, I thought. My theory is that figures that would have been held in the left hand (face right) are the first to break...and thus the hardest to find today. And then one day I found it. And my "Last Bocage Figure" became a pair.  A match made in heaven. Of course, I have been watching ever since for another example of the same bocage. This is the fun of collecting. And I hit gold last month, with a recumbent sheep. Yes, the same bocage. The flower has not been painted yellow, but the mold shape and detailing are the same. And here he is with his new family.   As you can see from the photos taken from the back, this time the bocage is unpainted at the back....so perhaps this potter's thought processes on the decorativeness of backs had evolved a degree further than most. The sheep are all definitely early 19th century. The colors of the bodies and glazes support that. Do shout if you see this bocage on any other figures. I am optimistic about pairing my recumbent sheep--or should I say 'ram' because he has lovely horns? It will take time, but challenges such as these make collecting fun. When I lecture, I am routinely asked 'how much do these figures cost?' I answer that you can spend tens of thousands of dollars, or you can buy a fabulous little figure for less than the price of a NY hotel room. Of course, this gives me much wiggle room! I stay in cheap NY hotels, but some in my audience prefer suites at the Plaza. I bought all three of these figures for less than the price of a modest hotel room. So you don't need deep pockets to have a fabulous collection. But sometimes, when something really special comes your way, it truly is worth reaching deep into your pocket. Trust me, I have been there....and I have never regretted it! PS: Thanks to my cyberspace friend and fellow collector, Peter, for generously sharing his sheep, below. I guess we now have a Last Bocage Flock. Seeing this pair made my day. Aren't they delicious?    PPS. Our flock is turning into a menagerie. Many thanks to a lovely blogger for generousy sharing her Last Bocage deer. CommentsLeave a Reply | To Search the Blog:
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