Peace, Justice, and Bang for your Buck

This simply gorgeous figure of Peace was until recently in the stock of Nestegg Antiques.  She sat there for a little while, awaiting her new home, because the market currently deems classical figures on square bases quite boring. Consequently, the price of this figure--like that of others of her ilk--was ridiculously low.

To jolt your memory, Peace is torching the weapons of war at her feet. She has an olive leaf wreath atop her head, and she holds an olive branch in one hand. The early enamels on this figure are so soft and pleasing, and her face is beautiful. What more could you want?

The companion figure to Peace is the lady below symbolizing Justice. She holds a sword (restored) in her one hand and the scales of justice are missing from her other.  Her eyes are closed because Justice is supposed to be blind. This figure is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.  You will have extraordinary difficulty finding a Justice in reasonable shape on the market or in private collections.  Justice was once as readily available as Peace seems to be today--but Justice's arms are more vulnerable and perhaps, over time, breakage claimed many victims.

Now to the same subjects with a very different look. The figure below left also portrays Peace, and Justice, the companion figure is on the right. Both figures have contemporary rather than classical features. I have recorded only one example of this Peace and two of this Justice. Look at Peace's very pretty face. Neither figure is after an ancient Roman. Rather, lovely English lasses were their inspiration. 

You may not be able to find the above figures of Peace and Justice on marbled bases, but you certainly can find a lovely Peace on a square base painted with a line--and many more other classical figures with similar bases.  What's more, you can find stunningly good examples of these figures at ridiculously low prices. 

The figure below is yet another classical figure that was very inexpensive because the market deemed it "ordinary".  Charlotte at the Tomb of Werther is the subject. To jog your memory, The Sorrows of Young Werther, a German novella by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe published in 1774, tells of Werther, who kills himself when he cannot have Charlotte, the woman he loves. Although Charlotte buries Werther under a linden tree and there is no mention of ashes, figures portray Charlotte clutching a funeral urn. 

Figures like this may be inexpensive now, but it won't always be so. It takes just a little looking to find a great example, but it can be done with relatively little time and money. At the end of the day, you will have a 200-year old figure that exudes charm and beauty. What more could you want?

A word of caution: I have noted over-priced (and often wrongly described) Staffordshire figures being sold by dealers who do not specialize in early Staffordshire. Be VERY cautious when shopping at an antiques mall (brick-and- mortar or in cyberspace.)  

And another word of caution: when buying "ordinary" figures, maintain a high standard. Don't tolerate restoration. And be sure to look for a nice glaze (minimal wear and crazing) and pretty enamels.