Staffordshire Figures 1780-1840

Oh, how I wish I could step back in time, for just one day. Put me on Hot Lane Burslem, so I could ask all my questions. On one of my visits to Stoke, I sought out Hot Lane--the site of the Sherratt manufactory--and stood there waiting for the earth to shake, or for some visible sign of a message from the other side. But the quiet little road went about its business as usual. Ah well, I live in hope....but I think Enoch Wood is just the person I would want to visit because his life spanned the period in which my figures were made, and his journals attest to his great memory.

One of the many things we don't know about figures is how they were marketed and sold. It would be nice to know who bought them, but it would also be great to know what they bought. Were Elijah and the Widow always sold as a pair, or could you buy them individually? What of the Seasons and Elements? Could you buy just one?  I suspect that you could buy one of most things, but there were figures that you of course would only want as a pair. I think the potters were savvy enough to cater to all tastes....and for that reason I believe that mix and match was the order of the day. If you wanted to buy Spring, but not Winter, Summer, or Autumn that was just fine.

As I devour the pictures some of you have been sending me this week (thank you), I am struck by how very many figures that I had thought of as singles can actually be paired. They look fine as singles, but at the point of purchase you probably could have bought a pair. For example, we never think of dandies as figure pairs. Two figures on a base seem to be a pair unto themselves, but very many of the dandy models do indeed have another "side."  

I know large dandies sometimes come in twos. The figure group on the dust jacket of my book would have had another to go with it--and you could buy it or not, as you liked.  I have noticed that some of the square-based dandies of a good size can be paired, like these two pairs above. These may have  been together always, simply because their original purchaser chose to buy a pair rather than a single. As I dig through my dandy archive, more pairs become apparent. I can't go so far as to say that EVERY dandy group has another to pair with it, but if we assemble enough examples of dandies, we may reach that conclusion. So please keep your pictures coming.

Above are two pairs of mid-sized dandies attributable to "Sherratt."  Tell me that they weren't made to stand together?  Allowing for minor color differences due to photography with different cameras in different countries, do these not look like they were painted on the same day by the same person?  (I know, I know! When I Photoshopped them together for you, I should have put them the other way around, so the two men stood on the outside).  I think these are drop-dead gorgeous, but then I am so partial to dandies. These pairs are both perfect, right down to the little flowers projecting from the baskets the men hold. So don't believe anyone who tells you there is no such thing as a perfect figure!

My current pairing dilemma centers around these two small figures.

Yes, I know these are not a pair! I bought the man in the green coat first. I call him the Green Man and I haven't seen another like him. The fellow alongside came home with me a while later. I was fascinated by the way the molds evolved to reflect the change in gentlemen's fashion. I never ever thought that either of these figures might have a mate. After all, the figure world is full of singletons, is it not?  Then this week, this little figure whizzed into my email box.

Charming is she not? I wish she was mine....but then I would have a trio and I am not going there! Of course I am now looking at every figure as if I can see double. What does it pair with? Look at your shelves, think about it, and if you can't come up with the answers send me a picture. You just never know   what we may discover.

Thanks to those of you who have stepped forward to help with pictures for the next book. I am so appreciative. I know its not fun taking pictures, measuring heights, emailing etc, and some of you have gone to memorable lengths to help.....but the more of us participate, the better  the end result.  This book must reflect the collective state of what we know. That way, others can build on our knowledge in the future. 

I know some of you are intending getting your cameras out, but please will you ALL participate?  I need plenty of examples of ordinary things, be they chipped, damaged, or broken. So give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses--they are all welcome.  People who read this blog are sophisticated collectors. We have all been around the block a few times, so we tend to shove mundane examples to the back of a shelf...but new collectors will be looking in these books to find just those figures. So send them all my way, please, please please. This would be a perfect weekend to get out your camera!

Once upon a time, Britannia really did rule the waves, dominating a vast-ever growing empire.  In the days before planes, trains, cars, and email, most forms of staying-in-touch required getting on a ship. So the navy--be it for mercantile or military purposes--was central to the country's functioning. Today, we don't give much thought to our navy, but in 1800 I expect everybody knew someone with a tie to the seas.

Can you imagine saying farewell to your loved one as he set off on a months-long ocean journey? Dangers at sea, illness on board....a zillion hazards could take a life in a blink.  And those at home didn't have even a photograph to gaze upon while they waited. Thoughts like this float through my head whenever I gaze upon a Staffordshire figure with a naval connection, and I am surprised there aren't more of them.  I came across this pair in the collection of the National Maritime Museum recently. 

Don't you want them? I do! You can tell he is a sailor by his neckerchief and other clothing. And she is holding a handkerchief to wipe away those tears of farewell.  If you have seen a similar pair, please tell me about them.  The only other example in the Museum is this sailor, from the same molds. Yes, original gilding, I think.

Earthenware figures of sailor often have striped trousers. I have this tiny sailor, one of my very early collection purchases.

He is only about 5 inches high, and I have recorded another example on a square base with a line painted around it.

This lovely sailor is taller, about 9". I photographed him from the Willett Collection, Brighton, and I have not seen another.

Yes, he is holding his bag of coins--his pay at voyage's end--aloft. Is this not a fabulous glimpse of a time gone forever?

The big figures are grand, and we all love them. And yes, I like many of the classical figures too...in fact, I like too many things! But ultimately the most engaging figures are those that give us glimpses of life as it once was.  That's what hooked me on collecting--and it still does.

Faith, Hope, and Charity are sometimes called “theological virtues” because Christians believe they are gifts of God. These virtues have traditionally been portrayed in art in female form, each accompanied by an appropriate attribute. 

Faith holds a book representing the Scriptures. Hope gazes heavenward; the anchor at her side originates from St Paul, which describes hope as “an achor of the soul.” (Heb. 6:19). Charity is believed to be the greatest of the virtues, embodying both love of God and others. Appropriately, the figure of Charity portrays these dual aspects. She nurtures children, while in one model a child holds a crucifix.

Figures of Faith, Hope, and Charity must have been particularly popular by the early 1800s, because lots of versions were made. You can find them in sets of three--usually assembled by an observant collector--or as singles.  I confess to a fondness for the figure of Charity, so I pick up nice examples and nestle them on a table, complete with a period hand-colored engraving of Charity. My attraction to this figure has nothing to do with my belief in theological virtues. Rather, I am Jewish and charity is at the core of Judaism. I will confess to not being particularly observant--which gives me the perfect excuse for owning neither Faith nor Hope. But I can always find room for a lovely Charity.

This example came from John Howard, and I love the fabulous enamels. More importantly, the figure was perfect--and I waited for a perfect example on an otherwise ordinary figure. I think I am drawn to Charity because I too lugged three children around, so I relate!

The example of Charity above is quite different and I envy her serenity. This figure is impressed WEDGWOOD, dating it to the 1790s. I really wanted a marked Wedgwood example, so I tolerated the fact that Charity's head had been reattached. As John said to me once when I dithered about a reattachment "Myrna, its all there."  It was good advice and I recall it often.

Some examples of Charity are formed quite differently. Here she only has two children.

This figure is in the "Sherratt" style and it was made without a bocage also. A very similar figure was made by Ralph Wood in the 18th century, but the popularity of the subject ensured that the molds were used by several potters for decades longer.

I like the Charity below. She is more the kind of mother I was....nothing serene here. I have only seen one example of this figure and I wish I owned her.

There are so many variations of Charity, and you will be able to see them all in the book I am working on. I cannot tell you how grateful I am to all the dealers, collectors, and auction houses who have helped with images. I know taking pictures is not fun and emailing is a pain....and then there is a little permission form that my publisher requires. We all hate forms, even simple forms. But everybody has stepped up to the plate. The book will be a collaborative effort and the more input we have, the better the end result. So a big thank you...and please keep them coming!

One more point about my figures of Charity: this little collecting theme has allowed me to indulge in several figures of the finest quality at reasonable prices. Because the figures are quite common, I can hold out until I find a perfect example. And a single figure of this sort is never expensive. So there is no huge agonizing over the purchase. A theme like this really keeps collecting fun.  And there is room on my table for plenty more.:)

I have just devoured Peter Garland's new book Ceramic Furniture Rests. If you would like a copy, contact Peter via his new site www.ceramicfurniturerests.com.  The book is colorful, informative, and a delight to own--a keeper for your bookshelf.  And you can see the book by going to the site, so you will know just what a treat you have in store within its pages.

John Howard is staging an Exhibition October 16-30th, and the venue, Witney Antiques, in Witney, Oxfordshire, is perfect. In the 1980s, I stumbled into Witney Antiques with 3 children under 10 years of age in tow, and all that baby paraphernalia swinging from my arms. I immediately recognized that I was among the finest selection of early furnishings and needlework in England. Better yet, instead of being shown the door, I was invited to take my time and look around. In later years, I bought some exquisite needlework from Witney Antiques, but I soon learned that I could not afford two habits, so I keep my money for pottery. That being said, can you imagine better eye candy than John's treasures within Witney Antiques? Those of you who can go, support this. And tell John that these pots DO talk!

From 1981 to 2009, one of the highlights of the ceramics year was Jonathan Horne's annual selling exhibition, held at his London premises for 29 consecutive years. Jonathan had an eye for rarities, and this amazing garniture appeared in his Exhibition in 1987.

The grouping is described as "A garniture of enamelled figures of huntsmen with their dogs, each figure impressed "Walton" on a small scroll applied to the back. Tallest 6-1/2". C1820" Jonathan went on to say that "This complete set appears to be unrecorded."

An amazing garniture, it is. Prior to Jonathan's catalogue publication I don't believe anyone had recorded even one of these figures. In fact, no-one realized that John Walton had made a garniture of any form. But complete it is not! 

To say these figures are rare is an understatement, but in recent years we discovered yet another figure that also fits into this garniture. It is a small figure of a fleeing hare. Clearly this is what the hunt is all about!  Presently, two examples of this hare are recorded, and I have photographed one here alongside a sportsman, perpetually in pursuit.

The hare made the garniture a 5-piece ensemble, potentially. Delicious, is it not?

Collectors, like sportsmen, find the hunt itself to be the fun of the game!  Recently the stakes were upped when yet another small figure appeared at auction. Again, bearing the Walton banner, this small figure grouping of two pheasants is perfectly sized to fit into the garniture. It will be in the book that Malcolm and I are working on. Attribution here is easy: these figures are all marked, and we have not found any unmarked examples.

If you are even thinking of sending us pictures for the book, please please do so--and thank you to those who already have. Won't it be great to have thousands of figures to look at on paper, when all is said and done?  I have wanted this book forever....I just didn't think I would have to write it. We hope to hand our work over to our publisher later next year, so hang in there. It will happen!

Malcolm Hodkinson and I have signed a contract with a publisher for a book on early Staffordshire figures. The book will be books, as it will run to more than one volume. Our work will be VERY comprehensive (read "thousands of pictures, as many as we can get"), and we will be including our groundbreaking research on attributing figures.  Excited? I hope you are--but I will admit to more than a touch of panic at what we have undertaken.

As you know, we have a huge photo archive, and this will form the basis of our work.  But I need your help assembling pictures. You probably have figures that we would like to include. Yes, I may have a picture of a figure just like one of yours in my archive---but I cannot publish it if quality is poor or I lack the photographer's permission.  Please step forward and help. If we all do this, we will have a book that will delight collectors for decades to come---and we will pass our passion and knowledge on to future generations.

If you are ready to reach for your camera, may I suggest this approach: take a few quick shots of your collection as it stands, email them to me, and I will get back to you right away telling you which figures I need. I know lots of you have fabulous figures. Please, please share. Of course, we will acknowledge your ownership in the book, or we will ensure your anonymity if that is your preference.  Now's the time to let your figures strut their stuff. Please email me at mschkolne@yahoo.com

Although she is certainly not the most common of classical figures, Hygeia is quite well known to collectors. Hygiea is the goddess of health. She healed the sick by administering the bile of the gorgon Medusa. For this reason, she is depicted with an ewer and bowl that hold Medusa’s bile. The story gets better: In ancient statuary, Hygeia frequently feeds a snake from a bowl.  Why a snake? The snake symbolizes healing or rebirth because of its ability to shed its skin.

So now we have the nasty stuff behind us, enjoy this lovely example of Hygeia.

Along the same lines, there is a VERY large Staffordshire figure of a lady washing her hands. The example below is in the Willett Collection. She measures 27-1/2" and she weighs a TON!

Stella Beddoe was such a good sport about helping Malcolm Hodkinson and me haul this figure onto a table to photograph. Believe me, she is H-E-A-V-Y, and it took 3 of us to get her in place. The figure is normally mounted on a low square base and I assume this example has lost its base--but we did not have what it took to flip this lady over. But is she not GORGEOUS?  I would make house room for her in a moment...I guess she would need her own room or her own house.

This large figure is often described as Purity, which always has me a little befuddled. Yes, it is nice to keep your hands clean....but I can find no classical references to Purity. Sometimes she is described as Hygeia, but I think that is only because of the connection between hand-washing and hygiene. As you can see, she has none of Hygeia's attributes.

So do we have other ladies fashioned on the same theme? I thought not until I found the figure below. She is pictured in John Hall's book Staffordshire Portrait Figures. Height merely 11"--and here's the great part: this figure is marked with the rare mark of Lakin & Poole. 

The figure is described in the caption as Hygeia. John Hall clearly believed this lady with the water bowl to be Hygeia, despite the lack of ewer and snake. An understandable mistake, but I have been no happier with this naming. Unfortunately, until now I have had nothing to suggest as an improvement.

And then it happened!  In the Glaisher Collection recently, I found yet another Lakin & Poole figure of a lady washing her hands--- but this time she has a title: Ariadne.

My problems are not yet over. I cannot for the life of me determine the connection between Ariadne and a water bowl. Along the way, I learned that Ariadne was a Greek goddess who died in childbirth. At an event honoring her memory, a young man lay on the ground in the vicarious pangs of labor. Hmm...does this not only happen to husbands?  Anyway, if you know why Ariadne should be holding that bowl, please share.

Looking for help with your Staffordshire dogs? Want to know if they are real or reproduction? Most Staffordshire dogs were made from the Victorian era until today. This site deals with early (i.e. pre-Victorian) figures only. That means I can't give an expert opinion on your Staffordshire dog or any other figure made after 1837. 

Yes, there are some early Staffordshire dogs, but they are the exception rather than the rule. If you have a seated spaniel, or a dog on an all  cobalt blue base, or a dog with gold decoration on it, the chances are you have a Victorian or later dog--and I can't help you.

 I also can't tell you anything about porcelain figures, continental figures, modern figures, and cottages. And I never appraise or advise on decorating.  So what do I do?  I answer ANY question about a figure that you even think might be early. Here my patience is limitless. If you are uncertain as to whether your figure qualifies, send me just one photo and we will take it from there.  

Thanks to all for reading my site. Sorry if I sound crabby....but I am wallowing in emails that need to be directed elsewhere.