Myrna Schkolne: Early Staffordshire Figures

When figures have multiple features in common, I believe they originated from the same manufactory--or, loosely put, I say they belong to the same "family."   Yes, I know that potters got their molds from common sources, but  decorative elements (such as bocages, floral sprigs etc.) were typically made in-house and these embellishments can help us group figures sharing common origins into "families."  Because figure painters presumably moved from potbank to potbank, similar painting is on its own NOT enough evidence of linkage between figures. But it can be a first clue that helps us explore further.

In January, I spotted this figure at the NY Ceramics Fair. The reason I snapped a picture was that the enamels were really quite lovely. The figure is a gardener, probably intended to symbolize Earth in a set representing the Four Elements.

While the quality of the enamels is not apparent from my poor image, look at how beautifully that flower pot is decorated. An unusual flower form is on the base, and the base itself was a pearly gray, again uncommon.  All duly noted.

Last month, I was traveling and found these two figure in collections.

The first is our gardener, again. Same gray base with distinctive flower and this time he sports a bocage and just look at the fantastic flower in the fabulous flower pot.

The second figure was a little girl holding a flower. Dazzling enamels and glaze yet again, and once more we have a square gray base. Just as I was pondering these figures and hoping I would find more, a blog reader sent me this:

This figure represents Spring, from a set of figures representing the Four Seasons. Again, great quality with beautiful, carefully fashioned flowers on the base and in the flower basket. And yes, the base is gray. 

Then, lastly I got lucky when I found this figure representing Charity.

Again, scrumptious enamels and glaze--and on a gray base. I don't have enough to link these figures into a "family" yet, but I hope to find more examples that help fill in the blanks. Wouldn't it have been nice if all these figures had the same flower on the base that adorns the base of Earth?  That would have made it so easy. But the gray bases on the examples I have examined have been formed in the same manner, so that's a beginning. Time will, I hope, reveal more.