19th Century Staffordshire Portrait Figure of Shakespeare
View Similar Items
19th Century Staffordshire Portrait Figure of Shakespeare
About the Item
- Creator:Staffordshire (Maker)
- Dimensions:Height: 18.75 in (47.63 cm)Width: 9 in (22.86 cm)Depth: 5.5 in (13.97 cm)
- Style:High Victorian (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:1860s
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Atlanta, GA
- Reference Number:Seller: 46901stDibs: LU1943310338091
Staffordshire
Thanks to its reserves of clay, lead, salt and coal, Staffordshire, England, has been a center for ceramics since the early 17th century. The county was home at one time to hundreds of pottery workshops and as many as 4,000 bottle-shaped kilns that operated year-round. The term “Staffordshire Potteries” refers to the industrial area of Stoke-on-Trent — comprising the towns Burslem, Fenton, Hanley, Longton, Stoke and Tunstall — where most of the production was concentrated.
In 1720, potter John Astbury discovered that he could make what would later be called creamware by adding ground flint powder to the local red clay. Because resources were so plentiful in Staffordshire, local potters could afford to experiment, working to refine their techniques and designs. One such innovator was Thomas Whieldon, an important 18th-century potter known today for his tortoiseshell ware, whose brilliant glazed surface of caramel, yellow and green hues was made with copper and manganese compounds. Whieldon operated the Fenton Low workshop, making coffee- and teapots, dinner services and even ornamental knife hafts. He was an influential figure: Josiah Spode apprenticed at the workshop, and Josiah Wedgwood partnered with Whieldon for five years before establishing his eponymous firm in 1759.
Wedgwood is perhaps the best known of the Staffordshire potters. The firm produced a line of light-colored earthenware for Queen Charlotte, who liked it so much that she granted permission to market it under the moniker Queen’s Ware, which despite the name, was designed for everyday use. In the same regal vein, in 1773, Wedgwood created the 954-piece Frog service for Catherine the Great, of Russia. The company is also known for its black stoneware, Black Basalt, which imitates the color and shapes of Etruscan vases; Jasperware, with its classical reliefs applied on the unglazed body; and pearlware.
By the end of the 18th century, Staffordshire was the primary producer of ceramics for the American colonies, even creating patriotic wares celebrating independence for this market. The imagery on Staffordshire ceramics became more standardized the mid-18th century with the advent of transferware, in which a design etched on a copper plate is printed on tissue paper, which is then used to transfer the wet ink onto the ceramic surface. This technique enabled artisans to decorate their wares with complex scenes that wrapped around an object’s surface and make several copies of popular patterns.
The Staffordshire potters also produced decorative figurines, such as this charming pair of cows dating from the 19th century. Particularly popular in Great Britain were pieces with hunting imagery, such as this George IV porcelain stirrup cup in the shape of a fox head wearing a gilt collar inscribed with the word “Tallyho.” Among the many whimsical vessels produced is this mid-19th-century frog mug. The exterior is painted with a charming scene of people picking fruit on one side and ladies on a garden swing on the other side, while inside a molded frog’s head at the bottom of the mug makes a gurgling sound when the the beverage has been almost completely consumed.
- 19th Century Staffordshire Military Portrait Figure of Omar PachaBy StaffordshireLocated in West Palm Beach, FL19th century Staffordshire military portrait figure of Omar Pacha, A rare well decorated version, depicting the Omar Pasha, also known as Omer Pasha ...Category
Antique Mid-19th Century English High Victorian Figurative Sculptures
MaterialsPottery
- 19th Century Portrait Bust of William ShakespeareBy StaffordshireLocated in West Palm Beach, FL19th century portrait bust of William Shakespeare, Vividly painted, a striking portrait of the English playwright, poet, and actor. Raised on a pedestal base with a neoclassical urn....Category
Antique Late 19th Century English High Victorian Busts
MaterialsPottery
$1,157 Sale Price22% Off - 19th Century Staffordshire Figure of 'American Fireman'By StaffordshireLocated in West Palm Beach, FL19th century Staffordshire figure of 'American Fireman' England, Circa 1860s A rare example, well painted and modeled of a fireman in uniform leaning against a water pump holding a horn in the left arm. The right arm is draped with a cloth. The American Fireman figure came in three sizes, this is largest version. See the last image of a Currier and Ives print...Category
Antique 19th Century English High Victorian Pottery
MaterialsPottery
- Pair of 19th Century Staffordshire Figures of Recumbent SheepBy StaffordshireLocated in West Palm Beach, FLPair of 19th century Staffordshire figures of Recumbent Sheep. England, circa 1860s. A diminutive pair of expressive pair of Staffordshire pottery sheep with textured bodies. Som...Category
Antique 19th Century English High Victorian Pottery
MaterialsPottery
- 19th Century Staffordshire Figurines of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert 'Large'By StaffordshireLocated in West Palm Beach, FL19th century Staffordshire Figurines of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (Large) England, circa 1860 Offering a rare find, this pair of 19th-century Staffordshire Figures portrays t...Category
Antique 19th Century English High Victorian Pottery
MaterialsPottery
$1,160 Sale Price20% Off - Staffordshire English Pottery Figure of a Girl with a Large SheepBy StaffordshireLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireA fine and scarce antique English Staffordshire figure of a girl with a very large sheep dating from the mid 19th century. The figure stands on molded rock...Category
Antique Mid-19th Century English Early Victorian Animal Sculptures
MaterialsPottery