Maria Malibran
This particularly rare figure portrays Maria Malibran (1808–1836), a renowned beauty and an international mezzo-soprano of extraordinary vocal range and power. In 1836, Miss Malibran suffered permanent head injuries when falling off a horse. After her accident she performed a handful of times before collapsing on the stage in Manchester in September 1836 and dying days later, aged 28 years old.
The figure is approximately 7.5″ inches tall and was made circa 1835. The design source is an engraving for the Dramatic Magazine after A. M. Huffman by J. Rogers.
Another version of the figure, from the same source, is held by the Fitzwilliam Museum, but Maria is wearing a red dress and the chaise longue is positioned the opposite direction.
More Figures of the month
Tam O’Shanter and Souter Johnny
This is a rare pair of early figures of Tam O’Shanter and Souter Johnny, characters in the Robert Burns play “Tam O’Shanter”, written in 1790.
A pair of giraffes
This is a fine pair of Staffordshire giraffes, seated below palm trees, each approximately 5 ½” tall. These figures are very rare, dating to approximately 1850.
Old Age
This is a fine pair of early Staffordshire figures portraying “Old Age”. They stand about 8 ¾” tall and date to about 1820.
A pair of pointers
This is a rare pair of Staffordshire foxhounds, pointers, or game dogs. Whatever one decides to call them, they are an unusual and very fine pair.
Reverand Edward Meyrick Goulburn
This is a rare Staffordshire figure of the Reverand Edward Goulburn, standing approximately 11 1/2” tall and dating to about 1860.
Richard Cobden
This is a rare Staffordshire figure of Richard Cobden, the English politician, economist, and leader of the effort to abolish the Corn Laws in 1846.
Membership
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Wherever you are in the world, whether you are an experienced collector, a researcher interested in the folk art of England, or just someone who is intrigued by Staffordshire figures, please join us and get the rest of this year for free! Stay with us next year and pay an annual fee of £45 / $50 per household in January.
