Early Staffordshire pearlware and creamware pottery figures

Cockerel Fanciers

7/31/2010

Enamel-painted Staffordshire figure groups similar to the one below occur titled COCK FIGHTERS, but just look at the sweet scene and the lady cuddling a chicken of sorts. Hardly redolent of the vicious cock fighting ring, is it? I have owned this figure for quite a while--originally purchased from John Howard--and it continues to give me pleasure. I love the woman's glorious hat. Interestingly, the bocage leaves are single sided. In other words, the back of each bocage leaf is flat--it has not been paired up with a similarly molded leaf to form a double-sided structure. All in all, a charming figure.

Enamel-painted Cockerel Fanciers figure group.

Square-based versions of this figure are never as finely decorated or modeled. They become rather mundane objects. But I was tickled to note a Pratt ware version on Andrew Dando's site. For the uninitiated, Pratt ware figures are colored by applying colors UNDER the glaze. Enamel-painted figures are colored by painting colors ON the glaze. The latter technique enables a broader color palette to be used but it requires additional firing--resulting in more expensive wares, at that time.

Pratt ware Cockerel Fanciers from the stock of Andrew Dando. Clicking on the picture will take you to Andrew's site--and further images.

I don't like most Pratt ware figures. Because they were in their day less expensive, they often are what you would expect of the lower end of the market: crude little things. But there are exceptions, and I have succumbed to fine examples in the past. At their best, these figures glow because the glaze is right on top, no enamel painted over to dull it. The figure can look as good as the day it was made. The trouble is finding these gems.

So my enamel-painted cockerels group has a beautiful Pratt ware counterpart, made from the same molds. If I didn't already have my group, I might be tempted. But I am sure this figure too will find a loving home.

I collect enamel-painted earthenware figures but, as this blog posting and the previous one show, I am fascinated by the linkages between 'my' wares and all others, both pottery and porcelain. Their interconnections shouldn't surprise me because we are dealing with quite a short time period in which these treasures were wrought.

And for all of you who write me about my beloved pup and the blog's co-author, Johnny Be Goode. Here he is at 4 months and a few days, doing what he loves best: chewing. I am in love!

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Hybrids

7/27/2010

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The heart of my collection is social history, so I try to confine my buying impulses to figures reflecting that theme. My 'virtual collection' (a large photo archive) caters to my other bent: an academic interest in Staffordshire figures and their makers. Occasionally, I just can't resist acquiring a figure that tickles my intellectual curiosity. And so it was with a very ordinary looking figure portraying the season of Spring.

This figure of Spring came up for auction in the UK about three years ago. A common form, but it intrigued me because it had painted lines around 3 sides of the base only. This is a feature we associate with Ralph Wood figures. And, in this case, these lines were painted blue--very unusual. I can't recall blue lines on another figure. Despite a modest starting bid, this very ordinary figure didn't sell. The second time it came up for auction, I resisted temptation again--and again the figure did not sell. The third time, I threw caution to the winds and bid. It was mine for a modest price. I had now started down a slippery slope!

When the figure arrived, I was amazed at its weight. Very heavy. The body seemed to be thick porcelain of a sort, albeit under the blue-tinted lead glaze found on pearlware. Here I confess ignorance. Is the body really porcelain? Or is it pot that was overfired? If porcelain, how do I know if it is soft paste or hard paste? If you can enlighten me, please email.

About a year later, a figure popped up on eBay that seemed to pair with my lone Spring. This time the figure depicted Autumn--again a very common model, but those three blue lines had my attention.

Autumn had suffered a clean break through the ankles. This sort of repair I don't mind because all the original material is present. Besides, I had to see if the figure shared characteristics with Spring....so I succumbed yet again. When Autumn arrived, I was pleased to note that it was just as heavy as Spring, same body, same glaze, and the base was similarly formed beneath.

The problem remained that I still had nothing to link these two figures to Ralph Wood. We do know Ralph Wood had a go at making porcelain figures, but he made his porcelain figures from models he also used for his pottery figures. Best we know, Ralph Wood never made the Seasons in the forms of my Autumn and Spring. And then, lo and behold, one more mysterious Season came up for sale.

Now the plot thickens. This time, my 'find' was titled WINTER in a script found only on Ralph Wood figures. And the quality of the decoration was of a standard associated with Ralph Wood. Again, the same body, glaze, etc. as Spring and Autumn.

So now I have three Seasons to tease my brain. I may never find the fourth--or it may pop up tomorrow. This is the thrill of collecting. I do believe these figures were produced by Ralph Wood as he attempted to master porcelain. Here you can see the trio from the front and back. Click to enlarge!

And here are other examples of Ralph Wood porcelains, from the Potteries Museum, Hanley.

Ralph Wood and Neale &Co are the earliest potters to have a go at making porcelain figures. The results were hybrids: the forms and glazes are as we find in pottery, but the bodies are harder, whiter, and more porcelainous. We know very little about these wares, but if you know of any, please share.

Neale & Co made figures in jasper, basalt, earthenware and porcelain. I have heard of one pair of Neale porcelain figures, and I have seen one figure in porcelain that was a look-alike of Neale's pottery Winter. The figure on the left is unmarked porcelain. The figure on the right is pottery, marked Neale & Co.The porcelain figure was fine, not heavy in the hand like the Ralph Wood Seasons illustrated above.

The works of Neale and Ralph Wood belongs primarily to the 18thC, but other potters continued their experimentation with porcelain into the 19thC. Ralph Salt made porcelain figures. The two figures on the left (below) are soft paste porcelain, marked SALT. Their counterparts on the right are pearlware, also marked SALT.

OK, these porcelain figures were clearly not Ralph Salt's finest works--and the photos, courtesy of the Brighton Museum web site, don't help matters. But you get the idea. The top figures both portray John Liston in the role of Paul Pry; the lower figures portray Liston playing Lubin Log. Liston debuted on the London stage as Paul Pry in 1825 and as Lubin Log in 1812..

We know that Enoch Wood was another potter who added porcelain to his repertoire toward the end of his long career. Writing in 1843, John Ward noted in his History of the Burough of Staffordshire that Enoch Wood & Sons "have recently combined the making of Porcelain with their other businesses". I can't recall a porcelain figure that I can tie to a Wood pearlware look alike, but they must be out there.

I giggle when I am referred to as an 'expert'. In reality, I am a perpetual student. I have a lot to learn, and writing this blog piece has revealed tantalizing glimpses into voids I have yet to explore. If anyone can add to this, please contact me.

Update May 30 2011.
I have concluded that the figures of the Seasons are stoneware. I have since found another Winter, untitled, and a figure of a soldier. Please see my blog posting of May 30 2011 for more on this subject.

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Ralph Wood list keeps growing!

7/26/2010

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My week got off to a great start when I received an email from a collector who owns a Ralph Wood figure with an impressed number, 163. The figure is enamel painted. I have added it to our Ralph Wood Figures page (under the MAKERS tab on the top menu bar.)

So why is this so earthshaking? Two reasons:

Nobody has recorded a RW figure impressed 163, be it in enamels or colored glazes. So we have expanded the list of RW figures.
Our research had attributed a look-alike of this figure to Ralph Wood, based on its attributes alone. Clearly, our methodology is correct! That figure can now be found number A163 in Section II of RW figures.

And, tantalizingly, the owner of RW 163 also believes he has 162 somewhere. He is looking. Stay tuned for updates!

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Dale

7/23/2010

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The offering du jour can be found under MAKERS on the top menu bar. John Dale's work has been added to the list. Dale figures are so rare, so thanks to all who have enabled Malcolm Hodkinson and I to use photos so we could get this done.

Staffordshire figure titled GUITAR PLAYER and impressed I. DALE BURSLEM.

To whet your appetite, here is one of my favorite Dale figures. And you thought the guitar was a modern instrument??

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Update

7/22/2010

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Please read the update to the 7/15/2010 posting "Imitation is the best form of flattery." Thanks to the readers who contacted me on this figure--and if you know anything about William Adams & Sons' design source for Caledonia ware, please, please, please share it with us by emailing me.

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Help Needed

7/19/2010

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Many of you ask when my next book will be published. I am ready, but I must recoup the costs of my first book before I can proceed with another. If Staffordshire figures bring you pleasure, you will enjoy the 300+ gorgeous figures in my book, all photographed in color. And if you frequently ask me questions, owning a copy of my book will help you immensely.

See my book here, or email me if you have questions.

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Frustration and a Find: Additional Ralph Wood Impressed Numbers

7/19/2010

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The Internet makes our world smaller, so I hear from people from as far afield as Norway and New Zealand. Staffordshire figure collectors are everywhere. I love connecting with collectors, but somehow last Monday's issues were vexing. My mailbox was flooded with enquiries from people who had bought figures that didn't resemble any Staffordshire I had ever seen, and from people who had bought very modern reproductions. What really pushed my button though: two eBay listings of what purported to be Ralph Wood figures. Coincidentally, both figures depicted Charity. Very common figures these are, and neither had a single attribute linking it to Ralph Wood.

After many emails, the seller of this figure removed "Ralph Wood" from her listing title but left it in the body of the auction. You have my humble opinion. Have a look at the information on Ralph Wood (under the MAKERS tab on the top menu bar of this site) and judge for yourself. For now, you can see the auction by clicking here.

And another seller had the same idea with his figure, described as "not signed on the underside of the base but undoubtedly is the work of Ralph Wood of Burslem." This seller took my concern seriously. He read our pages here on Ralph Wood, and promptly amended his listing. Thank you, thank you! My faith in humanity is restored....at least until I see the next repro listed as The Real Thing. You can see this auction here.

Because I check my email before switching off my light at night, Monday ended well. That night, I couldn't believe the news. A collector had read my Ralph Wood pages and he had TWO numbered figures to add to the list. In doing so, the numbering system got extended. It now reaches 170.

Pair of Ralph Wood figures of Elijah and the Widow of Sarepta(Zarphath). Impressed 169 and 170, they are new addition to our knowledge base.

Each of these figures has a RW impressed number! Elijah is number 169 (a number thought to be on a figure of Fortune or Plenty) and the Widow is 170. No RW figure has been recorded with a number higher than 169, so our list has grown.

It may take a village to do some things, but it takes a world of enthusiastic collectors to build our knowledge base about Staffordshire figures. A million thanks to the collector who shared this information with us--and thank you to all of you who share your collections, your new purchases, and your questions.

To the dealer who told me no more than 3 people in the world are interested in Ralph Wood: you would be amazed at the emails I have had as a result of the Ralph Wood pages!

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Fake Lustre Update

7/16/2010

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See BELIEVE IT on the top menu bar? Beneath there is a link to FAKE ALERT.
Go to it and read the update. Beware: our naughty eBay seller 1079edmund has changed his identity to Toby-20.

When an eBay seller has a private listing, your identity is protected. That might sound good, but believe me the seller is not looking out for your best interests. Instead, he is ensuring that there is no way to track you from the feedback on your purchase. In other words, if you purchase an incorrectly described item and a more knowledgable eBayer wants to tell you to ask for a refund, you cannot be contacted.

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Imitation is the best form of flattery.

7/15/2010

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Thought you might want to see this particularly spiffy figure. Is the dog not lovely?

The floral garlands around the base are unique to "Sherratt". Also, the bocage leaves and flowers support a "Sherratt" attribution. This figure is surprisingly rare. I have recorded only two others, both formerly in the stock of the late Jonathan Horne.

You can enlarge these images--you know how to do it! Although neither of these figures has those tell-tale floral garlands on the base, they are definitely "Sherratt". I think the raised hand on the left hand figure has been restored--note that it holds a bird rather than a horn.

Although I have seen only these three early versions of this figure group, I have seen later renditions. Seems that the group inspired subsequent generations of potters. The group was made, with adaptations, into the 20thC.

In the order they are placed I think these figures are:

Lloyd of Shelton c1840
Late 19thC
2OthC
Quite modern porcelain.

Is the deterioration in design and decoration not amazing? So if you want this figure, hold out for The Real Thing.

UPDATE 7/22/2010

Thanks to readers who provided these pictures of Staffordshire figure of our Scottish hunter, but in a porcelain-type body. I believe these figures are ca 1840. Nice quality. Possibly not as tall, but I am not certain.

And, most exciting news: a reader drew my attention to this transfer printed plate bearing the likeness of our Scottish hunter.

The plates were made by William Adams & Sons as part of their Caledonia pattern series and are marked as such. I believe the plates were made in the 1830-40 period, but what came first? Did the figures copy the plates or did the plates copy the figures? Or, more likely, do they share a common design source? If so, what is it? If you have any information that can help us learn, please email me.

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Vicar and Moses

7/11/2010

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Staffordshire figures of the Vicar and Moses originated with a model decorated in colored glazes and made by Ralph Wood circa 1790. Crisply modeled renditions are lovely and can positively glow. Generally, these figures are about 9" tall.

Colored glaze Vicar and Moses by Ralph Wood. Circa 1790. Courtesy Earle Vandekar.

The figure group was produced in enamel colors by other unknown potters in the early 1800s. Here is such an example. The modeling remains vigorous. The height is around 9''--same size as the colored glaze example.

Enamel-painted Vicar and Moses. Circa1820. Courtesy John Howard.

Later Staffordshire figure group

But now we start down a slippery slope. It seems these figure groups were produced perhaps into the 20thC. Examples occur that just don't appear to be early. The colors and glazes are not quite what they should be, and the group always seems particularly lifeless. Nothing humorous or engaging here. The group illustrated is coming up for auction in the UK this month, cataloged as LATE 19thC. Hallelujah! Credit to the auction house, Mellors and Kirk, for not claiming an earlier date, as so many other vendors do.

I routinely see Vicar and Moses groups. From a picture, I can often deduce they are suspicious. But there is one example that is very wrong, yet it has lots of people fooled. This enamel-painted version bears an incised "R WOOD" and the date 1794.

The mark purports to be that of Ralph Wood, but Ralph Wood's mark just doesn't look like this. To see the mark, which is always impressed rather than incised, click here. Also, Ralph Wood NEVER dated his figures. This is an obvious attempt to delude! Note the letters 'S' in "Moses" are formed backwards, also no doubt an attempt to impart the naivete associated with early wares

When was this figure group made? I don't know. Australia's Powerhouse Museum has an example that was donated in 1927, so we can assume all examples probably predate that. Circa 1900? Who's to say? We just don't know. But we do know that this figure is NOT an early 19thC Staffordshire figure.

The Internet bring us many curses and blessings. On the positive side of the equation: we now see very many more figures, so it is possible to be increasingly aware of this figure group's existence. But don't let it fool you!

'The Sleeping Congregation' by Hogarth

The inspiration for this figure group was a Hogarth's engraving of "The Sleeping Congregation", published first in 1736. In an era when the clergy was notoriously lazy, the figure group appealed because it shows the vicar sleeping soundly in his pulpit, while the clerk, Moses, delivers the sermon.

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