FABULOUS FIGURES:
Thomas Cribb & Thomas Molineux
In 1810, Molineux challenged Cribb to a title fight. England’s attention was riveted on the Cribb–Molineux contest, for national self-esteem and identity were at stake. The Fancy, as boxing’s aficionados were called, wanted a white boxing champ. That Molineux was an American was hardly significant for, as the Sporting Magazine explained, “what alarmed the natives most was, the consideration that an African or a tawney Moor, was looking forward to the championship of England, and had even threatened to decorate his sooty brow with the hard-earned laurels of Crib. [sic]” On December 18, 1810, thousands of spectators braved torrential rain and waded through miles of knee-deep clay to reach the remote outdoor venue near East Grinstead where Cribb was to defend the national honor. The pugilists traded blow after blow in seemingly interminable rounds. Then around round twenty-eight—history has chosen not to record this accurately—Molineux felled Cribb. Clearly a black American was the new English boxing champ. But as Molineux claimed victory, Cribb’s second jumped forward, falsely charging that Molineux had held bullets in his fists. The resulting fracas gave Cribb time to recover and left Molineux shivering in the rain. When the fight resumed, Cribb outlasted Molineux, but only just. In round thirty-three, Molineux declared, “I can fight no more”—apparently, neither could Cribb. His claim to the English championship was validated, although its fairness could be questioned.
On September 28, 1811, Cribb answered Molineux’s challenge to a rematch at Thistleton Gap. By now the pugilists’ names were on every tongue, and even those who knew not the names of the great military heroes dying for England’s glory on the battlefields of Europe, knew of Cribb and Molineux. The motley crowd of twenty thousand that flocked to the remote field included peers and peasants, swells, and occupants of stews. But this time, Molineux did not stand a chance. While Cribb had spent eleven weeks training with the famous Captain Barclay at his secluded country estate, Molineux had been forced to earn his keep at local sparring matches. Both men had lost weight, but whereas Cribb had shed fat, Molineux had lost muscle. It took a mere eleven rounds, and nineteen minutes and ten seconds, for Cribb to knock out Molineux. The challenger was heaved out the ring with his jaw and ribs fractured.
Cribb’s victory was an event of national significance and he returned to London in a beribboned coach, cheered along its route in the manner accorded the bearer of news of a military victory. A huge crowd awaited him at his home and delivered a greeting worthy of a champion. Nationwide, fortunes had been made and lost on the fight, and the Edinburgh Star admonished the country for wagering more on its outcome than had been given to aid British prisoners in France. The Fancy found a defeated Molineux admirable, and he became a popular boxer of secondary standing, notorious for his love of ladies, liquor, and spiffy clothing. In 1818, emaciated and estranged from his friends, he died in Ireland. Although Tom Cribb never again defended his title, he reigned as a respected and beloved champion, the biggest sports star of his era, until he retired in 1821.
Our pearlware figures of Cribb and Molineux date from circa 1811. At 9" tall, they have an imposing presence. Such Staffordshire figures are particularly rare and capture a moment in sporting, social, and ceramic history that continues to enthrall. Staffordshire figures of Cribb and Molineux were made in the 1820s—probably around the time of the next great boxing contest between Spring and Langan in 1824—but the earlier figures are especially lovely.
Fascinating Factoids.
- Boxing champions of this era were England’s very first sport stars; hitherto only exceptional animals had been household names in the sporting world. Boxing (or milling, as it was commonly called) was patronized at the highest level of society, but it appealed to all classes because fights indulged the national propensity to gamble.
- Boxing matches were illegal in the early 19th century. The ideal site was a remote outdoor location that accommodated thousands of spectators and eluded magisterial detection.
- The boxing ring was a roped-off area, usually from twenty to forty feet square, and it was surrounded by an outer ring accessible only to umpires, officials, select friends, and those charged with keeping the crowd at bay. A sea of standing spectators surrounded the outer ring, and carriages and wagons circled the field to form a grandstand of sorts. Sometimes crowd control necessitated constructing an elevated wooden stage for the ring.
- Boxers did not wear gloves. Each boxer, stripped to the waist, was assisted by only his bottle-holder and his second. The latter lent his knee as a seat, offered advice, administered ringside surgery, and generally did whatever it took—biting ears was common—to keep his man conscious.
- Unlike today’s fights, matches were unlimited in length, and rounds ended only when a boxer went down. A downed boxer had a thirty-second count, and then he had to be at the scratch, the name given a square chalked in the ring center. If he could not make it, he was defeated. Fights were protracted slugfests in which men pummeled away at each other interminably. Blood flowed freely as bare fists shredded faces, swelled eyes shut, and reduced hands and knuckles to painful pulp, despite careful pre-fight “pickling” in astringent. Matches could last very many rounds, very many hours. Boxers fought relatively few times in their lives because the human body can only take so much.
PREVIOUSLY FEATURED FABULOUS FIGURE:
Billy Waters
This Fabulous Figure depicts Billy Waters. It is 8" high, pearlware, made in Staffordshire circa 1822. The photo is provided by John Howard Antiques.
Billy Waters was a former American slave who served and lost his leg in the British navy. In the early nineteenth century, this peg-legged black busker known for his fiddle and beribboned cockaded hat was a familiar site in London’s theatre district. In 1819, Lord Busby’s Costume of the Lower Orders of London included a color lithograph of Waters, looking much as he does in the Staffordshire figure--and you see can it alongside our Fabulous Figure.
In November 1821, William Thomas Moncrieff’s burletta Tom and Jerry; or, Life in London, an adaptation of Pierce Egan’s book published earlier that year, opened at the Adelphi Theatre. Moncrieff introduced the character of Billy Waters into his play--Billy is not named in the text of Egan’s book but he is just visible in a Cruikshank engraving illustrating the book. The play ran for over 300 nights, breaking a 62 night record held since 1728. Its success spawned multiple dramatizations of Egan’s book that were performed on London and provincial stages. But the play caused Billy Waters' demise. Those who could see him impersonated on the stage no longer felt obligated to pay for his performances on the street, and in March 1823, Billy died impoverished, having pawned his fiddle. His dying words were reportedly "Cuss him, dam Tommy Jerry." At his death, Billy was known as King of the Beggars--a title claimed by no-one since.
There was voracious demand for images from Life in London, and varied simple engravings adorned inexpensive street publications. A woodcut by the printer James Catnach shows Billy Waters with a dog. Any one of these many printed images may have inspired the pearlware figures that mimic Billy.
What of this Fabulous Figure itself? It is pearlware and can be attributed to the Enoch Wood manufactory because shards matching it were excavated in the Enoch Wood stash found beneath Burslem Old Town Hall in 1938. The figure has the letter H impressed beneath. I have noticed varied letters impressed on other figures attributable to Enoch Wood. What do they mean? I have no idea!
- Look at how Billy's peg leg is attached to his limb. Although Billy had a below the knee amputation, the peg is not worn against the end of his limb. Instead, he rests his knee on the peg, and the rest of his lower leg is folded to the rear. Not quite like would happen today.
- Another model of Billy Waters was made, probably by some other manufactory. It is smaller and has a dog on the base. Always sweet to have a dog, but the figure is significantly smaller—more like 6-1/2” high, rather than 8”. The height difference makes a major difference in footprint, and the smaller figure just does not have the presence of the Enoch Wood model.
- Sometimes you will find Billy Waters with a white face. Shortage of black paint that day? Who knows! I have only recorded a white face on the small figure.
- The figure occurs titled--again, in the smaller version only, I believe.
- Watch for reproductions, titled usually, that are all over the internet.
PREVIOUSLY FEATURED FABULOUS FIGURE:
John Liston in the role of Van Dunder in 'Twould puzzle a Conjuror
This wonderful pearlware figure depicting John Liston in the role of Van Dunder was made by Enoch Wood from circa 1825. It is 7-1/4” high. This example is in dazzlingly perfect condition. Not a flake anywhere on the black and the glaze is silky soft. The figure matches shards found in the foundation of St Paul’s Church, Burslem, where Enoch Wood placed a time capsule of his wares. But to eliminate any doubt, the figure is impressed WOOD beneath. The letter K is also impressed, and I have noted various other impressed letters on Enoch Wood figures. Their purpose is unknown.
John Liston (1776-1846) starred on the London stage from 1805-1837. He was the comic genius of his time, unequalled in farce. His most memorable role was that of Paul Pry in John Poole’s play of the same name, which debuted at the Haymarket in 1825.
On 18 Sept 1824, Liston debuted in a new role at the Haymarket Theatre. As Van Dunder in John Poole’s ‘Twould Puzzle a Conjuror; or, the Two Peters, Liston portrayed a bumbling Dutch burgomaster charged with determining which of the numerous shipyard workers named 'Pieter' was Peter, Czar of Russia, working in disguise to learn trade secrets. Van Dunder wore baggy Dutch bloomers and silly shoes. His catch phrase, the play’s title ‘Twould Puzzle a Conjuror, reflected his dilemma. By the way, this play was a revamp of Poole’s earlier play, The Burgomeister of Sardaam, which had failed at Covent Garden in 1818.
Can there be any doubt that the print alongside the figure was its design source? Look at the pattern on the stockings extending up from the ankles. The scroll is decorated identically, with a red medallion design in the corner, followed by the words ‘To Hans Lubberly Vany(?) Burgo (our potter truncated the text because he had trouble squeezing in all the letters!) Words from the play’s text--Read it indeed! that’s very easily said, read it!!-- are on the base of the figure and on the bottom line of the print text.
The British Museum Catalogue describes this print as a hand-coloured lithograph of Mr. Liston as Van Dunder in ‘Twould puzzle a Conjuror, lettered with the title, followed by a line as spoken in the part, signed in the image with the unidentified monogram GEM, date 1825-1835.
I have recorded a Staffordshire figure of Van Dunder from the same figure molds used for this figure, but with minimal enamel painting (no stockings, no decoration on the column behind, no wording on the base or scroll) and standing on a white base with a red line around it. It lacks the crisp, animated modeling and delicious glaze apparent on this month’s Fabulous Figure. A factory second? A practice piece? We just don’t know.
For the record, Halfpenny describes this figure as Liston in the role of Lubin Log in Love, Law, and Physic. Clearly an error that others have unfortunately perpetuated.
PREVIOUSLY FEATURED FABULOUS FIGURE PAIR:
Superb example of the Tree Grafter and Companion
Staffordshire figure pair of a tree grafter and his companion. Enamel-painted pearlware. Circa 1815. H: 8".
Bocage figures don't get much finer than this. A picture is worth a thousand words, so what more is there for me to say? This pair, the tree grafter and his lady companion, are uncommon--besides this particular pair, I have seen no other with intact bocages. And just look at how broad and beautiful those bocages are! Clearly, figures of this form invite damage, and both are more commonly found with little or no original bocage. The companion's outstretched arm is also particularly vulnerable. So what do we normally see here? Mentally remove the bocages and the lady's arm, knock the figures about a bit, separate them so you have only a single rather than a pair--and that is what usually comes to market.
This pair of figures is in original condition with the only restoration being to the lady's hand. The glaze and enamels are superb. Although these figures have a Walton-type bocage, there is no reason to believe Walton made them. This bocage was rather generic and several potbanks used it. But other features link these figures to a potbank that a friend of mine has dubbed Too Good To Be Walton (TGTBW). The TGTBW potbank, true name unknown, made a range of figures with distinctive features, some of which appear on our figures shown here. Interestingly, I have repeatedly noted a slight mismatch in the colors of the bases of paired figures from TGTBW. I believe that a different placement in the muffle kiln used for the enamel firing would account for this. Those few degrees difference in temperature was all it took. Also, slight differences in the 'fru-frus' on the base make me think that different hands assembled them--but that is how things were done then. However, the figures are very clearly a pair and have lived together for around two centuries. Amazing, aren't they? The bocage leaves are as chunkily crisp as pastry cut-outs; the modeling is superb; the shredded clay decoration on the bases is so fine, but above all the enamels and glazes just glow.
A PREVIOUSLY FEATURED FABULOUS FIGURE:
Stunning Wood & Caldwell "St. George and the Dragon."
St. George and the Dragon. Enamel painted pearlware. H: 11.12" (excluding spear). Made by Wood and Caldwell of Burslem, Staffordshire, between 1805 and 1818.
This dramatic St. George and the Dragon is recognizably the output of the Wood & Caldwell partnership that operated in Burslem from 1790 to 1818. The figure bears traces of the Wood & Caldwell mark on the reverse. We can date the figure to between 1805 and 1818. The reason: silver lustre (it used platinum and you can see it on St. George's helmet and shield) was first used in 1805, so the figure can't predate 1805; and as Wood & Caldwell dissolved their partnership in July 1818, the figure had to have been made some time before July 1818. This is my very favorite Wood and Caldwell figure. This partnership was not renowned for it's animated modeling, but this figure is an exception. There is so much Power here: St. George lunging, the horse shying, the dragon rearing. Isn't the horse just bee-you-tiful?? And the colors are stunning--just look!--even the silver lustring has a lovely patina and is largely unworn.
Who was St. George? You probably know that he was England's patron saint. But you may not know that Saint George never set foot in England. In fact, he may never have existed! There are no historical sources for his existence; rather his origins are hagiographical. But by the second millennium, he was well established in European culture and was to become a recurrent figure in the iconography of many nations. A popular medieval book of hagiographies written between 1260 and 1275 by Jacobus de Voragine tells the story of Saint George and the dragon. By those times, the dragon symbolized Satan and embodied the evil and paganism that the Christian Crusaders believed they were fighting. According to the tale, a beautiful princess was about to be sacrificed to an evil dragon, but Saint George, after making the sign of the cross, stayed (not slayed!) the dragon with his lance— this is the pose in which he is traditionally shown. During the Crusade, soldiers revered Saint George and adopted his red and white cross as their own. From the thirteenth century, he was gradually accepted as the patron saint of England and his cross was adopted as England’s flag and it remains so today, although other entities too claim Saint George and his flag as their own.
Rogier van der Weyden's St. George and the Dragon, c1435
The Renaissance artist Raphael painted this version of St. George and the Dragon in 1504
Fascinating Factoids.
1. According to Wikipedia: "St. George is the patron saint of Aragon, Catalonia, England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Palestine, Portugal, and Russia, as well as the cities of Amersfoort, Beirut, Bteghrine, Cáceres, Ferrara, Freiburg, Genoa, Ljubljana, Gozo, Pomorie, Qormi, Lod and Moscow, as well as a wide range of professions, organisations and disease sufferers." If you have a need for a patron saint to stay or slay the dragons in your life, I sure St. George could accommodate your needs too!
2. Wood & Caldwell were not the only Staffordshire potters to model St. George and his famed dragon. Others had a go at it too, and figures are found decorated in underglaze colors and colored glazes. Some models are positioned on a plinth. Of course the enamel painted versions are my favorites--and the silver lustring must not be worn away. Such figures impart a dazzling brilliance to a mythical event.
3. The spear that St. George holds is always a replacement. I think the original was probably metal. I made this one from a bamboo knitting needle, which I painted. If you have a St. George and he lacks a spear, please make him one too. You never know when he will need it...no, seriously, the figure just looks so flawed without it.
A PREVIOUSLY FEATURED FABULOUS FIGURE:
A pearlware rarity supporting the abolitionist cause.
Emancipated slave. Enamel painted pearlware. H: 7". Made in Staffordshire circa 1810.
In May 1807, the British slave trade was abolished and in the 1830s slavery was abolished in all Britain’s colonies. The open book on the slave’s knee reads BLESS GOD THANK BRITTON ME NO SLAVE. Many potters were barely literate, so Britain is spelled "Staffordshire style!"
In 1787, William Hackwood, working for Wedgwood, designed a seal for the London committee of the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. It depicted a shackled, kneeling slave, hands clasped as if in prayer, and the motto AM I NOT A MAN AND A BROTHER? For the next forty years, metal and ceramic artifacts bearing the symbol of a kneeling slave (such as this Wedgwood medallion) were to be fashionable symbols of the abolitionist cause. Did Hackwood's design inspire the design of this figure group? Despite the similarity, I believe this figure has some other source....but I can't find it. If you know, please tell me.
myrna@schkolne.com
Fascinating Factoids
Note the slave's garb is red, white, and blue--the colours of the British flag. The abolitionists were patriots. By the 19th century, slavery was not tolerated on British soil, and abolitionists believed that slavery in Britain's colonies shamed their nation.
Believe it or not, this bone-crunchingly beautiful figure was brought into a regional British auction house some years ago, tossed into a box of general china. Because of its rarity and perfection (often at least the raised hands on the slave have been restored, destroying the overall magnificence) the figure was so hotly contested at auction that it made the local news.
Please contact Myrna myrna@schkolne.com with questions or comments on any fabulous figure!
Dealers who stock early 19th century Staffordshire figures:
Andrew Dando www.andrewdando.co.uk
Aurea Carter www.englishceramics.com
Bernard Trower www.bernardtrower.com
Bishop and Daughter Antiques www.bishopantiques.com
Bittersweetantiques www.bittersweetantiquesvt.com
Castle Antiques www.castle-antiques.com
David Boyer & Ivan Mears www.mearsandboyer.co.uk
Dennis & Dad www.dennisanddadantiques.com
Earle D. Vandkar of Knightsbridge www.vandekar.com
Elinor Penna www.elinorpenna.com
Erna Hiscock Antiques www.ernahiscockantiques.com
Frost Antiques www.frostantiques.co.uk
James. M. Labaugh Antiques (914) 764-9151
Jane McClafferty www.janemcclaffertyantiques.com
John Howard www.antiquepottery.co.uk
Juno Antiques www.junoantiques.com/index.htm
Martyn Edgell Antiques http://www.edgell.me.uk
Madelena Antiques www.madelena.com
Michael Wilde Ceramic Restoration www.michaelwilde.co.uk
Nick Burton www.nickburtonenglishpottery.co.uk
Roger Deville www.rogerdeville.co.uk
Roy W. Bunn Antiques www.roywbunnantiques.co.uk
Simon Westman Early English Pottery www.simonwestman.com
These dealers carry early Staffordshire figures but are not necessarily recommended by Myrna. Myrna is not responsible for the content of any linked sites.
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