Figure of the month

Coursing greyhounds

Courtesy Nick Burton English Pottery
July 2021

Coursing, the pursuit of hares by greyhounds, was a very popular Victorian sport. The whippet is a smaller dog but very similar in type to a greyhound and would have been kept by many country folks. They would have been used to pursue rabbits as in these figures. The prey is indeed rabbit, as rabbits have smaller ears than hares.

These fine figures show whippets chasing rabbits. The dogs are leaping a fence with a stream below.

They are 11 inches tall. See Harding, Victorian Staffordshire Dogs page 86, figs 2661/2662.

Courtesy Nick Burton English Pottery

More Figures of the month

Lord Raglan

June 2023

This is a very rare and desirable titled Staffordshire figure of FitzRoy James Henry Somerset Raglan, aka Field Marshal Lord Raglan.  The figure stands a little over 13” tall and dates to around 1854.  It may be found in Pugh’s 1987 edition of Staffordshire Portrait Figures, page 258, and in Harding Book One, page 121.

Pair of white cats

May 2023

This is a rare pair of seated cats, approximately 13 ½” tall.  They are decorated in bright gold and date to around 1870-1880.  Harding Book Two illustrates this impressive pair on page 239.  

Tiger and lion

April 2023

This is a rare figure of a tiger and lion lying in front of a palm tree.  Circus acts with wild animals became very popular in England during the 1830s and it is possible that this figure as well as other animal figures commemorated these events. 

Lady Godiva

March 2023

This is a rare figure portraying Lady Godiva seated sidesaddle on horseback.  The figure is titled “Lady Godiva” and is decorated in the manner of the Parr factory, with soft yellow, green, and brown brushstrokes.

Lost Piece

February 2023

This is an early Staffordshire figure of a woman standing on a grassy pedestal, with a coin in her extended hand.  The figure is titled “Lost Piece” and represents the biblical verses found in Luke 15:8-10.

William Shakespeare

January 2023

This is a gilt script titled figure of William Shakespeare with his right arm resting on a book atop a pedestal.  Next to the pedestal is a sloped watch holder with a clock face painted inside, sitting atop a tree decorated with grapes.

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