Pearlware Sculptures

Woodland Wonders: A Fine Pair of Ralph Wood-Type Stag and Hind Figures Late 18th Century This charming pair of late 18th-century pearlware pottery figures represents a classic example of the Staffordshire animal models that became highly fashionable during the reign of George III. The set features a stag and a doe, both depicted in recumbent, naturalistic poses atop verdant, rocky mounds after a model by John Voyez. The bases are meticulously decorated with applied shredded clay to simulate the texture of moss or undergrowth, a technique that adds a tactile dimension to the artisanal quality of the pieces. Both figures are finished with the soft, translucent colored glazes characteristic of the Ralph Wood family, with warm ochre and manganese tones highlighting the form of the animals against the vibrant green of the grass. The stag is particularly striking with his dark, multi-pointed antlers and alert expression, while the doe is modeled with a gentle, turned head that suggests a moment of quiet repose in the English countryside. The use of lead glazes in this manner allows the earthenware body to shine through, creating a luminous and sophisticated aesthetic that was a significant advancement in pottery decoration during this period. These figures were likely intended for display on a mantlepiece or in a dining room cabinet, bringing a touch of the picturesque landscape into the Georgian home. Dimensions Stag: 6 1/2 inches (16.51 cm) high, 6 1/4 inches (15.88 cm) wide, 3 inches (7.62 cm) deep Hind: 5 1/4 inches (13.34 cm) high, 6 1/10 inches (15.49 cm) wide, 3 inches (7.62 cm) deep Condition Report The figures are in good antique condition, with the glazes remaining notably clear and vibrant. There is a pinhead sized frit to the back of the each ear of the hind. Provenance Maryland Private Collection Reference: See pair of very similar form at the MFA (Museum of Fine Arts, Houston), The Bayou Bend Collection, gift of Miss Ima Hogg, Object number B.56.21.1,.2 and another pair in The Met, Object Number: 44.39.60. A similar pair can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, from the Marion E. and Leonard A. Cohn Collection, Bequest of Marion E. Cohn, 1966, Object Number: 66.64.24 Literature F. Partridge, Ralph Wood Pottery...

Staffordshire Pottery pearlware bocage figure group with a mythological theme. The piece features babies Romulus and Remus with a she-wolf, with birds perched in the tree behind. The...

Ralph Wood Staffordshire Pottery pearlware figure with a religious theme which features a standing figure of Saint Phillip, stood on a marbleised base. The piece is titled, 'St Phill...

Decorative Object Antelope Head Pearls 124 Unique and aesthetically striking decorative accessories express the personality and individuality of your home. This decorative head of an...

This pearlware pottery lion features a paw resting on a globe, symbolizing the lion's status as the king of the world. The model is derived from the Medici Lions, a pair of lions at ...

A fine antique English Staffordshire pearlware pottery tithe pig figure group dating to the early 19th century. The group stands on a raised oval shaped bas...

18th-Century large Staffordshire pottery figure of a recumbent stag, Attributed to Enoch wood, Circa 1780 The stag with light brown coat revealing patches of white on her neck and eye, modeled recumbent with one foreleg draped over the side of the base, the green waisted base surrounded by a berried laurel leaf border and unglazed underneath. A similar example was the collection of Peggy and David Rockefeller. Dimensions: 12 1/2 inches high x 9 1/4 inches x 6 1/4 inches deep Provenance: Jonathan Horne Antiques. Paper label and price label with 5,500.00 pounds; The Chinese Porcelain Company...

Staffordshire Yorkshire Pottery Prattware figure which features a cow with a recumbent calf, stood on a rectangular base, with grassy detail. Speckled blue, orange and black around t...

A charming antique English Staffordshire pearlware pottery bocage figure group of a standing ewe with a lamb made by Ralph Salt and dating from the early 19th century. The figure sta...

18th century Italian gold leaf crucifix with a bronze figure of Christ and adorned with baroque pearls, polished minerals, and fossil shells. The crucifix originally came from a chur...

Ralph Wood Staffordshire pottery earthenware color glazed figure which features a Medici lion, stood on a plinth base. Decorated 'in the round', decoration...

Large Staffordshire figure of Benjamin Franklin but named Washington for George Washington, mid-19th century The large Staffordshire pottery figure depicts an elegant standing figure with the name "Washington" written in gold enamel around the base.  This refers to George Washington, the first President of the United States except the figure is actually of Benjamin Franklin. The figure on a circular white base depicts the figure in a deep blue long jacket on a waistcoat decorated with flowers in iron-red and green enamel his left hand holding a three-cornered hat and his right a book. According to the entry for a similar figure at the American Philosophical Society, this ceramic figurine is an adaptation of François Marie Suzanne's 1793 terracotta statuette of Benjamin Franklin. Suzanne’s statuette was frequently reproduced with variations of costume and poses. In Staffordshire, a ceramics manufacturing center in northwest England, the statuette was misidentified as "George Washington," and the mistake was repeated. Staffordshire experts say that figurines labeled Washington resembling the first U.S. president are extremely rare. Nearly all of these so-called "Washington" statuettes actually depict Franklin. Mel Buchanan, Assistant Curator of 20th century Design at the Milwaukee Art...