In medieval times, falconry was the most esteemed of hunting sports, and learning to train and fly hawks was essential education for noble and fashionable gentlemen. People of rank carried hawks befitting their status, even taking them into battle. The advent of the musket made falconry obsolete because guns were a faster, cheaper, more certain mode of hunting. Whereas falconry was at its zenith in 1600, but by 1700, the sport had almost faded into obscurity.
In the late 1700s, falconry underwent a bit of a revival, and the Falconer's Society of England was established in 1772. The first earthenware figure model of a falconer was made shortly after this, circa 1790 by Ralph Wood, and it mirrors the revival of the sport.
In the late 1700s, falconry underwent a bit of a revival, and the Falconer's Society of England was established in 1772. The first earthenware figure model of a falconer was made shortly after this, circa 1790 by Ralph Wood, and it mirrors the revival of the sport.
The Ralph Wood Falconer is a rare figure, and it occurs impresed 135. Lovely, is it not?
More commonly, figures of falconers are after a Derby model of a gentleman holding a cockerel, introduced in 1765. Although not as rare as the Ralph Wood model, this falconer is far from common.
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Examples of this falconer can vary in the modeling and enameling. Some leave much to be desired, but I think this particular example is rather lovely. The enamels are very yummy, and is that face not priceless?? Note that the figure was made without bocage leaves, as sometimes happens on assorted figure models. I think this example is earlier than most, probably circa 1800.
Alongside you see the same falconer again, but this time with a bocage. Still lovely, but not as much to my taste as the first figure. This model was reworked for a decade or three, with varying bases and bocages.
So what happened to archery? From 1792, Lord Berners (then Colonel Wilson) controlled the falconry society, which came to be known as the High Ash Club. His estate at Didlington in Norfolk was the epicenter of the sport. The situation was ideal: vast sweeps of open land were perfect for hunting, and a well-stocked heronry with access to nearby fens and rivers provided prey. Lord Berners died in 1838, and the dismantling of his establishment was the death knoll for the struggling sport. With increasing urbanization and enclosure, the wide sweeps of land necessary for falconry had vanished. Falconry was no longer feasible in England, so enthusiasts relocated to Holland. Our early Staffordshire figures give us a glimpse of falconry's final years.
