I am rather fond of the perfect Staffordshire pottery figure below, which I have owned for many years. Her body is pearlware. She is known as "the hay maker" because examples occur titled thus.
This hay maker was made by Ralph Wood, circa 1785. She holds an ale barrel because in that era of polluted drinking water, ale was the standard water-substitute/refreshment (yes, even at work!). The mold number "31" is impressed beneath the base; and a red band is around three sides of the base only--a typical Wood feature.
| The story doesn't end there because Ralph Wood also made this same figure impressed "33", as you see alongside. This example is titled Hay Maker, lest you have any doubt as to her identity. Of course, being a Ralph Wood figure, the line extends around only three sides of the base. Note the traces of original gilding. Gilding in this period was applied with a soft waxy gold that rubbed off easily, so it is not usually seen. |  Courtesy Elinor Penna |
| And Ralph Wood made this same figure model with the addition of a bocage. The bocage form is typical of Ralph Wood, as is the script of the title. And yes, that red line again goes around only three sides of the base. |  |
| Amazingly, Ralph Wood made the very same hay maker with a different head! The example alongside is impressed "31". And again, the red line wraps three sides of the base. |  Courtesy the Potteries Museum, Hanley. |
Every hay maker needs a gentleman companion, so Ralph Wood made a rather pensive male mower to stand alongside the hay maker. But I have yet to see a true mower-haymaker pair from this pot bank. I believe these Ralph Wood figures were sold individually, and that is why true pairs are so elusive today. Like the hay maker, the mower was made
- with or without a bocage,
- with or without an impressed number (the example below on the brown background is impressed "30" and is courtesy of Aurea Carter)
- with or without a title (which, when present, is always in one of the typical Ralph Wood scripts.)
- with a dark red-brown band surrounding three sides of the base only.
We collectors tend to overlook the impact that Ralph Wood's modeling had on Staffordshire figure styles. Ralph Wood established the "look" of many familiar Staffordshire figure models, and for decades after his death in 1795, other modelers emulated his work. Thus, figures of Elijah and the Widow made in 1835 are derivatives of those made by Ralph Wood circa 1790. And so it was with the mower and haymaker too. They also lived on is the Potteries for many more years.
The Dudson factory was established not too long after Ralph Wood's death, and it made mower and hay makers that are VERY like Ralph Wood's (below). In fact, I suspect Dudson acquired Ralph Wood's molds. This pair was made circa 1810.
The Dudson factory was established not too long after Ralph Wood's death, and it made mower and hay makers that are VERY like Ralph Wood's (below). In fact, I suspect Dudson acquired Ralph Wood's molds. This pair was made circa 1810.
Courtesy Bamfords Auctioneers
The unknown pot bank that I have dubbed the "Leather Leaf Group" pot bank also made mowers and hay makers in much the same style. I believe the stunning pair below was made around 1820.
And the so-called "Gray Base Group" pot bank also made mowers and hay makers both with and without bocages, as you see below.
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And a pot bank that I have not named made mower and hay maker derivatives, with a petite bocage sprig to the side.
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Ralph Wood got a lot of mileage out of his mower and hay maker models, but it didn't end there. In an era when there was apparently no copyright protection on a design, a great idea clearly went a long way. These are not the only pot banks that made mowers and hay makers in the Ralph Wood style, but, lest you glance at these many images and conclude that such figures are plentiful, let me assure you they are not. Today, a fine single is difficult to find, and a pair is almost impossible. So if you see one, carpe diem!
