The best things supposedly come in small parcels, and Staffordshire figures are no exception. The longer I collect, the more I am attracted to tiny treasures. Case in point: the critter below.
Pearlware figure of a mouse, made in Staffordshire circa 1820. H: 1 3/4"; W 2 3/4"
To state the obvious, this is a mouse. But it was not so apparent to the seller, who advertised it as a cat! An early mouse is a rarity, and I had seen one only once before: formed from the same molds as this mouse and paired with a similarly sized cat. Unfortunately, the rear half of that mouse was quite restored--to my eye, the long, heavy tail seemed to belong to some other beast--so I passed on bidding. But it didn't deter others from chasing the final hammer price into four figures...in GBP, that is! Fortunately, I was able to get my mouse for very, very much less and frankly I don't care if I never find a cat. The mouse is perfect, and what more could I want?
