Figure of the month

Rare figure of Victorian card playing

July 2025

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

Tam O’Shanter and Souter Johnny

March 2026

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

February 2026

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

January 2026

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

December 2025

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

November 2025

This is a rare Staffordshire figure of the Reverand Edward Goulburn, standing approximately 11 1/2” tall and dating to about 1860.

Richard Cobden

October 2025

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.

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