The Vicar and Moses
Myrna Schkolne in Volume 2 of her book “Staffordshire Figures 1780-1840”, has Chapter 109 entitled Religious Officials and Observers. She makes the point that the Church of England clergy in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries were high living at that time and were ready targets for ridicule. They were high living as many came from very wealthy families. The eldest son took the title and family estate whilst a younger son often became a priest or a vicar. As always the Staffordshire potter was quick to pick up on that.
There are in fact two pieces that are commonly referred to as The Vicar and Moses, but these pictures are of the piece which was modelled on William Hogarth’s illustration entitled the Sleeping Congregation, first published in 1736. It is also known as The Parson and Clerk. This piece portrays the parson dozing in the pulpit whilst the clerk earnestly addresses the congregation.
This particular model will be early nineteenth century. What is interesting about this particular piece is that it has no base (nor appears ever to have had a base) which allows the collector to see how the Parson and Clerk were made and fixed within the model of the pulpit.
This model is illustrated in Myrna Schkolne’s book ref fig109.8 page 258. The height is 8.9”.
Acknowledgement: Myrna Schkolne, Staffordshire Figures 1780-1840 Volume 2
This figure forms part of the private collection of Alan Sturrock.
More Figures of the month
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.
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.
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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