When I saw this pair of figures depicting Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath my eye was immediately drawn to the bases. The figures are in the stock of Frost Antiques.
Pearlware figures depicting Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath from the stock of Frost Antiques.
The bases seemed akin to those on the Scuffle and Contest groups I wrote about in my April 6 posting. No bocages to provide an added clue...but I had to wonder. Usually, I look underneath a figure almost immediately because the base tells so much about the figure--and similarly formed bases (especially if the formation is unusual) can help link figures
I asked Frost Antiques for a picture of the base, and Nick Frost kindly sent this. The base is formed in the same manner as the bases of Scuffle and Contest, (rounded internal corners and a release hole in the center) so the figures may well have common origins...but too soon to know for certain yet. I will be watching for more features that may link these figures into a "family".
You may have noticed the Widow with the brightly painted base at the end of the April 22 posting. Wondering if she is part of the same family too?
I tend to think not because the base is formed quite differently.
Bases reveal old collection stickers and price labels, and a lot else. For one thing, they provide an undecorated area where you can tell the color of the original pot and see the glaze. Start turning those figures over and you never know what you may learn.
