Myrna Schkolne: Early Staffordshire Figures

Thought you might want to see this particularly spiffy figure. Is the dog not lovely?

The floral garlands around the base are unique to "Sherratt". Also, the bocage leaves and flowers support a "Sherratt" attribution.  This figure is surprisingly rare. I have recorded only two others, both formerly in the stock of the late Jonathan Horne.

You can enlarge these images--you know how to do it!  Although neither of these figures has those tell-tale floral garlands on the base, they are definitely "Sherratt". I think the raised hand on the left hand figure has been restored--note that it holds a bird rather than a horn.

Although I have seen only these three early versions of this figure group, I have seen later renditions. Seems that the group inspired subsequent generations of potters. The group was made, with adaptations, into the 20thC.

In the order they are placed I think these figures are:

• Lloyd of Shelton c1840
• Late 19thC
• 2OthC
• Quite modern porcelain.

Is the deterioration in design and decoration  not amazing?  So if you want this figure, hold out for The Real Thing.

Thanks to readers who provided these pictures of Staffordshire figure of our Scottish hunter, but in a porcelain-type body. I believe these figures are ca 1840. Nice quality. Possibly not as tall, but I am not certain.

And, most exciting news: a reader drew my attention to this transfer printed plate bearing the likeness of our Scottish hunter.

The plates were made by William Adams & Sons as part of their Caledonia pattern series and are marked as such. I believe the plates were made in the 1830-40 period, but what came first?  Did the figures copy the plates or did the plates copy the figures? Or, more likely, do they share a common design source? If so, what is it? If you have any information that can help us learn, please email me.