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St. Sebastian by Enoch Wood?

6/1/2010

8 Comments

 
What's odd about this figure of St. Sebastian, marked Enoch Wood, that was until recently on the web? It was offered for sale as circa 1784-92, made by Enoch Wood.
Picture
Picture
The figure is just over 10" tall and impressed on the rear "ENOCH WOOD." 

Enoch Wood (1759-1840) potted on his own from 1783-1790 and marked his wares with his name in that period. From 1791-1818, he was in partnership with James Caldwell; wares marked in that period state WOOD & CALDWELL. After 1818, Enoch Wood was in partnership with his sons, and any mark reflects that relationship.  So Enoch Wood's name appears on its own only between 1783 and 1790.

So why do I not believe this St Sebastian was made by Enoch Wood? Couple of reasons:
  1. Enoch Wood marked his wares E. WOOD, not ENOCH WOOD. So the mark we see on the figure is not correct.
  2. The enamel colors on this figure are not in the typical palette for the Enoch Wood period. Rather, they exhibit the strong yellows and turquoises occurring more than a century later.
I am sure that if we had a picture of the underneath of this figure, we would see that the undecorated pot is very white--as you would expect of a later figure.

So what really happened here? This figure was made by the Kent factory some time between 1890 and 1962.  The Kent catalog listed this figure, and some editions even illustrated it. I don't believe Kent marked the figure ENOCH WOOD. That was done by someone else, I suspect.

Did Enoch Wood make a figure like this? He certainly did. We know this because  a large shard from very similar figure of St. Sebastian was excavated in Burslem in the 1900s. It was part of a cache that Enoch Wood had buried within the walls of St. Paul's Church in 1828. Over a century later, the time capsule helped us attribute the figure form to Enoch Wood. If this was not proof enough, the shard matches a St. Sebastian figure marked E. WOOD that is in a private collection. Clearly, that figure was made well before 1828--in fact, it was made between 1783 and 1790.

I know of only one other early Staffordshire figure of St. Sebastian. Frankly, despite its rarity, this figure is far from appealing. The original, early figure has impressed on the front S. SEBASTI O.M.  Possibly it was made for the continental market (could someone please tell me what O.M. means??) and perhaps even in its time it was not popular with English consumers.

This story has a good ending. The dealer who had this figure on his site removed it very promptly when he discovered it was not what he had thought it to be. A Prince of a man. He has--temporarily at least--restored my faith in mankind:).
8 Comments
Irene Reasons
3/28/2011 08:15:54 am

I found this article very informative. I have a very old plate which is signed E. Wood Burslem, with an eagle in the center , and a banner undeneath saying Dresden Ironstone China.
It is not particularly pretty but it looks like it could be a very early piece. Maybe a forerunner of the Wedgwood Jasper ware. The rim is divided into 14 dimpled segments and is decorated in some sections with Wedgwood blue color, small appliqued fiowers. Very much like the jasper ware but the plate is a cream color. I am quite sure it is genuine , but anything you could tell me about it , would be most appreciated. I bought it at a flea market in SC and being English I recognized the potter's name immediately.
Thank you so much for your time .
Irene

Reply
Desmond Reid
8/15/2011 10:52:17 pm

This is an admirable article - clear, precise and informative.

"O.M." is a Latin abbreviatiion, in use from the 4th century in the Roman catacombs, and stands for "Obiit Martyris" meaning "Died a Martyr".

How may I view an image of the "early Staffordshire figure of St. Sebastian" you mention in your comments?

Reply
Myrna
10/19/2012 04:27:47 am

I have adjusted my opinion, having seen the so-called 'early' figure in person. At this point, I know of NO early, enamel-painted figure of St. Sebastian. Every example I have seen appears to be of later manufacture.

Reply
David Miller
4/19/2012 11:40:59 pm

May i send you a photo of what i believe to be an original enoch wood St sebastian from here in spain

Reply
Myrna Schkolne
4/20/2012 12:25:08 am

Hi David, Please, please send me an image. I have yet to see an original painted version of this figure, so I can't wait for your photo!

Reply
Rodrigo
12/20/2012 07:49:59 am

I don't belive that O.M. Is "obiit martiris", since there is an before that doesn't make sense in any language: "S. Sebasti". I'd rather prefer to guess that these S. Sebastian figures were made for portuguese market, where this saint is very popular even today. In this case, the name is "S. Sebasti_o M." The space is just "ã" for the complete portuguese name "Sebastião". And the final M, for "martir". For some reason the maker didn't complete the "strange" character of ~, which could be completed by the client.

Reply
paul
2/25/2015 10:27:08 am

hi - to re-visit the St Sebastian question.... are they ALL Kent copies? I have recently found one in Australia, with the impressed S. SEBASTI O'M to the front, different to all the others, and there is are two indistinct impressed letters to the back of the plinth: could well be 'E W' - it is coloured in similar enamels, purple loin cloth, black base with scratched squiggles, brown & green tree.... inside is quite convincing for an earlier date, the creamware type body is quite differnt to the 20th century ones I have seen. I am happy to send a photo. regards, Paul, Australia

Reply
Myrna Schkolne
2/26/2015 12:47:11 am

Hi Paul, So far, they are all Kent copies, but I am sure that early ones were made because an unpainted figure was among the Enoch Wood figures excavated in Burslem. As for the figure you have found, I would need to see a picture, but I am very doubtful. First, the body should be pearlware, not creamware. Second, I have not seen EW or anything similar on an Enoch Wood figure. Third, the purple lion cloth sounds such a Kent color. I would love to be wrong though!

Reply



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    Myrna Schkolne, antique Staffordshire pottery, expert
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    Staffordshire figure, Myrna Schkolne, pearlware figure, creamware, bocage figure, antique Staffordshire pottery
    Staffordshire figure, Myrna Schkolne, pearlware figure, creamware, bocage figure, antique Staffordshire pottery
    Staffordshire figure, Myrna Schkolne, pearlware figure, creamware, bocage figure, antique Staffordshire pottery
    Staffordshire figure, Myrna Schkolne, pearlware figure, creamware, bocage figure, antique Staffordshire pottery
    Staffordshire figure, Myrna Schkolne, pearlware figure, creamware, bocage figure, antique Staffordshire pottery

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