I love this sheep, formerly in the stock of John Howard.  

This sheep has many virtues! It is unusual, perky, quirky, and oh-so-pretty. I am fascinated by the bocage. I call bocages of this sort "leaf mats." Each of the two giant bocage frond is a rounded "mat" comprising very many leaves.

To my mind, each frond really does almost look as if someone tried to create a mat by layering leaves in a circular pattern of sorts. The overall effect is very pretty. The little round blobs that you see on the back of the bocage are flower stalks. If the potter wanted to add flowers to the bocage, he could place them on these little stalks/blobs. If you look carefully at bocage figures in your collection, you will notice that some flowers are on stalks, others are not--so stalks were by no means essential. But it was convenient to have them "built in", so to speak, as part of the leaves. Remember, any little blob of clay could serve as a stalk. But having those little blobs integral to the leaves was convenient. And if the potter didn't need to add flowers, he could simply paint the blobs green, along with the rest of the leaf. 

The same molds are normally used for the fronts and backs of the bocages....but flowers are usually not added to the back. That's why we see the flower stalks, but no flowers, at the back.

I have a number of figures with these "leaf mat" bocages in my archive, and collectively I call them the Leaf Mat Group. Some of the figures are relatively small and modest, but others are quite grand. The flowers vary, but I still think the figures were probably all made by the same pot bank. This splendid bull with a "leaf mat" bocage--its coat is striped like a tiger coat--is currently in John Howard's stock.

Is that bocage not splendid? And the flowers on the base are things of beauty.

As gorgeous as these figures are, they are not the ones that come to mind first when I think of the Leaf Mat Group. Most Leaf Mat figures are small animals, and the bocages usually have no flowers. These figures are sweet and appealing, and they are great additions to a collection. That bocage makes quite a statement!  Below is a small stag currently in the stock of Mears and Boyer.

The Leaf Mat Group exhibits bocages and figures that range from the mundane to the magnificent. As always, I am amazed at the breadth of creativity within one small pot bank. Best of all, the figures range in price from too modest to...well, let's just say costly, but worth every penny. Bottom line: there is something for every pocket.

PS: If you have a Leaf Mat Group figure in your collection, please tell me about it.

Most classical figures tend to be at the lower end of the price range. Those wan, heavy-hipped ladies, often chipped and battered by life, float through eBay routinely.  But take note! All are not equal, and there are some stunners that can be picked up at very reasonable prices from great dealers who, of course, only stock fine examples. Because these figure are simpler (usually without bocages or "fiddly bits"), there are big smooth surfaces for the light to play on. As a result, well made examples simply glow. This figure of Plenty or Ceres (your choice of name) was recently in Aurea Carter's stock.

Two things make this figure particularly interesting:
Firstly, the base is marked "WOOD & CALDWELL", so we can date this figure to between 1791 and 1818. The date given for the start of the W&C partnership is usually 1790, but James Caldwell's diary quite clearly states that the partnership commenced on Jan 1, 1791, so that is the date we should be using. 

Secondly, the figure is unusual in that her cornucopia is formed as a candle holder. I haven't seen that before, and I have seen plenty of Plenty/Ceres figures.

Why, you might ask, do I not know whether this figure is Plenty or Ceres?  The answer is that the terms were used interchangably to refer to Ceres, who was the goddess of Plenty. Below, is a print applied to glass of the lady in question, circa 1800.

Ceres's most well known attribute is the large cornucopia we see with our pottery figures. Did you know that the usual square-based figures of Ceres were made in two forms?

Sometimes Ceres holds her cornucopia to the left, and sometimes it is to the right. The more I research, the more convinced I am that most figures had a companion version. If you wanted a pair of Ceres figures, you were able to buy two to stand as a pair.

Neither of the figures above is marked. The right one (previously in the stock of Andrew Dando) appears to be from the same molds as the marked Wood & Caldwell figure, with candle holder. Perhaps it too was made by Wood & Caldwell, or by Enoch Wood, using the very same molds. 

While we are on the subject of Ceres/Plenty, take a look at the Ralph Wood version, made between 1782 and 1801.  (Formerly in the stock of Nick Burton.)

Lovely, is she not?  Particularly exciting is the link to the figure below (formerly in the stock of Aurea Carter.)

Both figures are as made, but the version titled Fortune has an object atop her head. What?  I am not sure....perhaps Fortune's pot of gold??? If you know, please tell me.  This is a lovely figure, and both versions ooze Ralph Wood features. To top it all, Fortune has an interesting base.

The "W" on the back of the base occurs on eight enamel-painted Ralph Wood figures, and I am confident it is a Ralph Wood mark. I show the interior of the base because it is unusual. Typically, Ralph Wood figures have soft, rounded interiors to the bases. This figure has an angled interior base.  I am not sure what to make of that. Perhaps things were just done differently on that day!

All these classical figures are lovely, and all come from fine dealers. If you are unsure as to what makes a fine figure, don't buy on eBay. You can rely on good dealers to only put their money into fine stock, so let them do the selection for you. Otherwise, tread carefully please.

I am quite fascinated by this tiny bust (around 6"), formerly in the stock of Andrew Dando. The bust has "Byron" inscribed on the reverse, and Byron it is. But the socle is what grabs my attention.

The socle is very "Sherratt"-like in the manner in which it is painted. The colors and the sponging of the black immediately evoke "Sherratt."  The motif in the center is interesting. It is a coat of arms of sorts, with the lion and unicorn to either side and a crown atop, as on the royal coat of arms. The center has three feathers, the Prince of Wales feathers.....so this coat of arms must reference the Prince of Wales. The most famous Prince of Wales of the early 1800s was the man who went on to become George IV in 1820.  As Prince of Wales, he ruled England as Prince Regent before coming to the throne, but he is best remembered for his rather debauched life style. The initials GR are on the bottom of the socle (George Rex, what else could it be??), so I conclude that the bust was made to commemorate the Prince of Wales being crowned George IV.

My association of this bust with "Sherratt" is strengthened by the same motif on this petite box.

Busts tend to be rather devoid of features, but this box oozes "Sherratt" features. Look at how the box is painted to simulate woodgrain. I have seen such painting in only one other place: on the tables on "Sherratt" groups such as this Tee Total group, below, formerly in the stock of Andrew Dando. Look carefully and you will see that the table is painted in much the same distinctive manner as the sides of the box.

Also, look at the leafy design on each of the swags on the front of the apron base (right beneath the title plaques.) These designs are a little difficult to see clearly on this picture, but I have looked at several figures in the flesh, so to speak. I conclude that the molds used for these delicate sprig designs were also used to make the upright sprigs to either side of the coat of arm on the little box.  

And the perky pooch atop the box is yet another link to "Sherratt." This is the  standard "Sherratt" dog. You see him here on a "Sherratt" wedding group.

Connecting the dots helps me link both the bust and the box to "Sherratt".  This box in the Willett Collection is larger, and it also links to "Sherratt".

It shares many similarities with the first box, but clearly the dog has been replaced with a girl leaning on a plinth. Can we tie the girl on a plinth to "Sherratt"??? No problem!  Look at the little figure placed next to the box, above. The floral sprigs applied to the base are akin to "Sherratt" signatures. They are only found applied to "Sherratt" figures.

Each and every one of these items is gorgeous, but knowing what links them to each other does, to my mind, make them even more fascinating.

When you sell items at auction, the auction house takes pictures (at the seller's expense, directly or indirectly.)  Ever thought about what happens to those pictures?  I can tell you that very many auction houses--from the biggest to the smallest--on three continents have supplied me with pictures from their archives for my book, at absolutely no charge.  Generous? Yes. Assisting me takes time, and auction houses are busy places. At the same time, we all have to give back in some way or another, and savvy auction houses like educating potential collectors....and my book will do just this.

Imagine my surprise when one US auction house refused to supply me with a picture unless I pay a licensing fee.  Is the fee big? Frankly, I don't care.  The issue is one of principle. Almost 100 collectors, museums, and auction houses have supplied material for the book at NO cost. How can I pay one auction house, even for one picture?  Hardly fair, I think.  So I have declined to use the picture. Am I being petty? Is the auction house being petty? You decide. It does bother me a little to think that if I send something to auction, the image of my item will be a potential cash-dispenser for the auction house forever after!

Standing by my principles is hard. I want the picture!!!  So if you bought this item at auction or if you know anybody at Cowan's who might be kind enough to waive usual policy and share this image at no charge, please let me know!

I am really taken with this special spill that I photographed recently.

Very stunning. At 9 inches, it is a full 2 or so inches taller than most trumpet spills. The added height comes about because the trumpet-like spill is placed atop a yellow box structure. With the added height, the potter had room for the figures to stand rather than sit, as they usually do.  Below I have place this spill alongside a conventional trumpet spill, so you can compare.

Now can you see what I mean?  The spill on the right is not photographed well. In fact, the image is restored from an old photograph, and I have done this to be able to include it in my book. Not ideal, but a third-rate photo beats no photo!  I particularly wanted to show the smaller spill because it comes from the same pot bank as the larger one.  I have dubbed the group of figures from this anonymous source "The Leather Leaf Group."  You can read a little about them in my posting of March 6, 2012.

Notice those starfish-like flowers on the bases of both spills?  Those flowers are exclusive to the Leather Leaf Group. When you see them on a figure, you can be sure you will find other attributes that link the figure to the Leather Leaf Group. The same can be said of the small five-petalled flower on each base--in this case, the flower is blue.  Up close, such flowers look like this:

These happen to be my favorite bocage flowers. Each time, I marvel at the attention to detail that went into fashioning each tiny flower.

Now that we know both spills come from the same pot bank, it is no surprise to notice that the dogs and sheep are from the same molds. The Attribution Game is full of rewarding surprises!