Most figures of George and the Dragon look like this one, formerly in the stock of John Howard.
John's figure is a particularly nice example. This model itself is very like the model that Ralph Wood introduced circa 1785.
Ralph Wood was a modeler extraordinaire, and his designs lived on for decades after his death. I don't know who made this figure, but it is after the Ralph Wood design.
Ralph Wood's cousin, Enoch Wood, saw things slightly differently. He made St. George and the Dragon to look like this.
I think this is a stunner. A powerful figure, is it not? The dragon is divine. Note the large four-petalled flowers on the base. These, as we discussed last week, are specific to Wood & Caldwell. This figure is well-known, but it is far from common. I have recorded only a handful. This example has traces of the Wood & Caldwell mark on the reverse. Couple that with the silver luster decoration (introduced in 1805) and we know the figure was made between 1805 and 1818.
This St. George and Dragon is a large figure--a full 11 inches without the spear. Until recently, I didn't know that Wood & Caldwell made this figure in two sizes. Below is the smaller. The smaller figure has the Wood & Caldwell mark on the reverse so it was made between 1790 and 1818. Again, note the characteristic four-petalled flowers on the base.
This St. George and Dragon is a large figure--a full 11 inches without the spear. Until recently, I didn't know that Wood & Caldwell made this figure in two sizes. Below is the smaller. The smaller figure has the Wood & Caldwell mark on the reverse so it was made between 1790 and 1818. Again, note the characteristic four-petalled flowers on the base.
The two figures differ very markedly in size. The large figure is 11 inches tall by 9 inches wide. The smaller is 8 inches by 6.8 inches. As you see when the figures are placed side by side, the horse, George, and the base are from quite different molds. Only the dragon seems to be molded identically.
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Enoch Wood made several other figures in more than one size. I have observed figures depicting the four seasons in two sizes. Also, his figures representing Old Age occur in two sizes. Which of these two St. George and Dragons is earlier? Hard to tell. Possibly they were made at the same time to cater to different pockets. And if you find one, reach into your pocket because they are splendid things.
