I remember how thrilled I was when I got my first Dale figure. The figure, a little lady musician titled GUITAR PLAYER, nestled comfortably in the palm of my hand, and she seemed to draw me into the blissful contentment of her teeny isolated world. I bought her at auction, and unfortunately a lot of cruddy figures came with her. A little while later, I found her male companion in a friend's collection. Last year, we did a deal that united the pair finally. Both are impressed "I. DALE BURSLEM".
| 
|
John Dale made the most delightful pearlware figures between approximately 1818 and 1838. Some are marked, but many are not. Because Dale figures have some very distinctive features, it is often relatively easy to label an unmarked figure as "definitely Dale". Fortunately, the features supporting a Dale attribution are easily recognizable--you can find all the details in Staffordshire Figures 1780-1840, Vol. 1. Over the years, I have owned several Dale figures in various states of disrepair to help me build my knowledge base. Sometimes, they are marked, as is the case with the SHEPHERD on the right below. More often, they are unmarked, like the boy-with-dog on the left. Yes, I know boy-with-dog is missing most of the bocage, but I still think him lovely and I had to have an example of the flower on the base---a Dale feature---for my reference collection.
| 
|
Doesn't the cheerful apple green that Dale often used on his bases make your heart sing? Such a happy color--in fact, the whole Dale color palette is particularly pretty. And to top it all, Dale figures are usually gorgeous. Clearly, I am not alone in admiring them. This past week, John Howard added two "definitely Dale" selections to his stock. Neither was inexpensive--yet both sold right away!
John's amazing Dale garniture, below, has gone to a new home--and I know of more than one other collector who was contemplating a purchase but was pipped at the post, so to speak. Had I not emptied my pockets for the "Sherratt" dogs I wrote about last week, you could have added my name to the list. Is the garniture not stunning? Note that the little shepherd looks very like the boy-with-dog above, He has that typical square Dale face.
John's amazing Dale garniture, below, has gone to a new home--and I know of more than one other collector who was contemplating a purchase but was pipped at the post, so to speak. Had I not emptied my pockets for the "Sherratt" dogs I wrote about last week, you could have added my name to the list. Is the garniture not stunning? Note that the little shepherd looks very like the boy-with-dog above, He has that typical square Dale face.
This garniture is unique. I have recorded three other examples of the central spill holder, but none is as pretty as this. I have not otherwise seen the cow spills that sit to either side. Note that the bases of the cow spill vases are quite differently shaped from each other.
In my small sheep collection, I have a lone Dale ram--again, quite definitely Dale. I do love the rather goofy appearance of this very engaging Dale beasty. Of course, he is from the same molds as the ram in the Dale garniture above.
John's other major Dale find was this pair of fantastic felines. Like the garniture, they are known only from this example--but I have seen single animals from the same molds. Truly stunning are they not? Although Staffordshire Figures 1780-1840, Vol. 3 has now been printed (I have my advance copy on my desk), I did miraculously manage to include this pair among the felines in that volume. A collector friend had old photos of this unique pearlware pair that he had taken many years ago, and I was able to Photoshop the images into shape.
Note the rows of toothlike indentations in the bases---as if a comb had been stuck into the wet clay. This is yet another Dale feature.
I am happy that these extraordinary items so quickly found new homes. When quality surfaces, collectors usually grab it, and that was definitely so here.
I am happy that these extraordinary items so quickly found new homes. When quality surfaces, collectors usually grab it, and that was definitely so here.
