The good student and the dunce
Alan Sturrock says he has always liked Staffordshire figures which show the simple life so many of the Victorians had, and how very different life at all stages was as compared to today. This figure shows just that. The good student holding a book sits on a chair whilst the dunce stands next to her standing on one leg on a chair, and wears the telltale dunce’s cap to humiliate him in front of the entire class.
As you will appreciate, education was in itself something only a few early Victorian children were lucky enough to experience and the teaching methods were so very different. The humiliation of a student in this way for not learning as quickly as his fellow pupils would have been commonplace in the village schoolroom. Of course these days such treatment is rightly not allowed and so this figure has a cruel charm of its own as being wonderfully politically incorrect.
However in Alan’s schooling days punishments still occurred. He was made to stand in the corner for misbehaving in class, and more serious misdemeanors almost always meant a beating with a cane by the headmaster.
More Figures of the month
Lady Godiva
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
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
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.
Children on Saint Bernard dogs
This is a very rare pair of children seated sideways on Saint Bernards. More common figures have the children laying down or seated facing forward. Others have the rear arms moulded into the figures, instead of being separately moulded as these are. These figures are approximately 10” tall and date to around 1840-1850.
King of Sardinia
This is a rare figure of Victor Emmanuel II, the King of Sardinia and later the first King of Italy. The figure is titled with gold accented raised capitals, stands approximately 12 3/4” tall, and dates to about 1855. It is probably a Crimean war figure, with Emmanuel being shown in military uniform.
Bluebeard and Fatima
This is a rare figure of Bluebeard and Fatima, approximately 12 1/2” tall, dating to 1858. Bluebeard is easily recognized with his blue beard. He stands upright with a knife in his right hand and left hand on his hip. Fatima is kneeling before Bluebeard with eyes cast upward toward him, hands folded in a prayer-like position.
