Staffordshire Figures 1780-1840

Rumors of the demise of our economy--and extravagant indulgence--have been greatly exaggerated. This month, this bullbaiting figure group sold at Christies, London, for a whopping GBP10,350 with all charges and VAT.

In dollars, this figure made about $15,500. Similar figures have sold for less from dealers' stock relatively recently, so this price seems outrageous...but is it? If you have the money and you want the figure--and this was a splendid example--you should go ahead and indulge. Clearly two bidders tried to do just that. Unfortunately, only one could win.

Prices held up well at Christies, for the economic peddlers of doom and gloom are not going to deter collectors on the hunt. Two other bull baitings exceeded their estimates.

This small baiting group had significant issues. You can see his raised arm is another color and his stick is about as thick as his arm. Restoration is inevitable at times, but I hated the yucky look to the enamels. Someone else was clearly not bothered. The group more than doubled the top range of the estimate, ending up at just shy of GBP4,000 or $6,000 all in.

The room did not run out of money, and demand for baiting groups was hot that day. The example below, like the smaller one above, is in the "Sherratt" style. The base is pretty, but I do miss the title plaques usually found on big bull baiting groups. And the colors are rather ...well, dreary is the word that comes to mind. The group just doesn't ooze vitality.

But again, someone wanted a bull baiting, so this handsome-but-staid group made around GBP4,500 with charges and VAT--almost $7,000.

Even though I can't enthuse about all these figures, I do think they are worth every penny their new owners paid. Staffordshire figures of this period are now almost two centuries old. They are fragile treasures recalling extraordinary events and ordinary people from a time that has vanished, and the privilege of being their custodian is well worth the price we have to pay.

But if you don't have deep pockets, don't despair! You can buy a wonderful, small figure for less than the price of a modest NY or London hotel room--and it too will captivate and delight forever.