Rare figure of Victorian card playing

At first glance, this may appear to be an ordinary arbour figure. But upon closer inspection, one can see these three people are engaged in a game of cards. Each person is holding cards, two of which are overturned on the lap of the lady shown at lower left. Card games were commonly played at the time this figure was made, about 1860. It is a very rare figure, recorded in Harding’s Second Addendum Book, page 270.

More Figures of the month

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.

Rare pair of camel figures
This is a rare, mirror image pair of Staffordshire camel figures. They are generally believed to represent Lady Hester Stanhope and her personal physician and companion Dr. Charles Lewis Meryon, though this attribution is not certain.

Pair of standing lions
This is a fine pair of Staffordshire lions standing on coloured bases. Each lion is approximately 10” tall and dates to about 1860. These figures may be found in Harding’s Book Two, page 259.

George Washington and Zachary Taylor
This is a very rare pair of figures portraying George Washington and Zachary Taylor. They stand approximately 9” and 9.1″ tall, and date to approximately 1850.

Tam O’Shanter and John Gilpin
This is a very rare pair of figures portraying Tam O’Shanter and John Gilpin. They stand approximately 8.6″ and 9.0″ tall, and date to approximately 1845.
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