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Peter Yexley looks at Staffordshire Porcelain Figures and other antique pottery
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Peter Yexley looks at Staffordshire Porcelain Figures and other antique pottery
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Bitten by a Staffordshire Pot Dog !Peter Yexley looks at Staffordshire Porcelain Figures and other antique potteryMy spinster Aunt collects Staffordshire pottery dogs ( or are they porcelain ?), she has too many for me to count and I have often been tempted to go walkies to the Antiques Roadshow just to see how much this great collection of pot Staffs is really worth .... for insurance purposes you understand! If like me, and as a typical youngster, you are not into Staffordshire pottery dogs, then a pottery (or porcelain ) dog is just an ornament, so when I was a young boy, I nominated one as a Red Indian and with an expert eye and true shooting skills I fired a dart, hitting it straight between the eyes and dispatching it to the ceramic tiles where it fragmented. But Aunties are great, they don't lash out like mums, she calmly picked up every piece and with her shaking hands began to glue it back together using a tin of glue, no tubes then - I'm sure she got high on the glue because she was still really nice to me! Forty years on, when I visit Aunty, she moves it slightly and reminds herself ... and me that she must get it restored...professionally. My conscience got the better of me one day whilst walking past a beautiful antique shop in Woodstock during an antiques shopping spree in, Oxfordshire. |
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It may have been the fresh air, retail therapy or Woodstock beer but I swear a Staffordshire porcelain dog yapped at me from behind John Howard's antique pottery shop window. Perhaps it was my conscience provoking me but my attention was drawn to a pair of black and white Staffordshire pottery "Curly" spaniels with very similar faces as my Aunts Staffs pottery dogs. The credit card was spared that evening because John Howard wasn't open but I was haunted by this pair of Staffordshire pottery spaniels. I have this overwhelming desire to replace the one I shot nearly forty years ago and here I am in Woodstock looking in a shop that specialises in antique pottery dogs. Call it a coincidence or shear fluke, I may be barking mad but this dog is saying "buy me". |
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I don't generally buy on impulse anyway, and John Howard isn't open to sell me a pair of Staffordshire pottery dogs and further more supposing they are not really the same as my Aunt's? They may be fake pottery dogs! Take a picture I thought, so I did with a new digital camera my Aunt bought me, which adds more to my conspiracy theory. Was it meant to be?
So off I went on my way with a couple of pictures, one of the Staffordshire pottery dogs and the other of John Howard's shop, it had his telephone number on it, and I didn't have a pen... just in case you are wondering why I took a photo of John Howard's antique pottery shop. The following morning I called John and relayed my story, he patiently listened too. |
| John explained that this pair of Staffordshire pottery curly spaniels were well modelled and decorated circa 1855.They had minor flaking and had been touched in. It was refreshing to find someone telling it as it is, okay, they are not perfect but better to find out from the seller than to hand over my money and discover the flaws later! I asked how he could tell they were original Staffordshire and not fakes. |
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With John Howard's permission I have reproduced this guide.
So, what are the other things you can look out for? I have summarized below some tips which I think will be of value, but please remember, there are exceptions to all the rules. The key is to take a balanced view of the purchase situation and the item involved. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Look at the material the item is made from; numerous figures are reproduced in a porcelain body when in fact the original was made in pottery. If there is extensive crazing and staining it often denotes a fake piece. Some blue blotches (cobalt) in a thick lustrous glaze (lead) is usually a good sign. A chalky feel to the base, particularly to the rim is a bad sign. If the item is exceptionally heavy or light in weight be careful. Size. . it is worth noting that reproductions made from a mould from an original piece will be about 10% smaller than the original. This is due to shrinkage in the firing process. Most figures dating from 1840 to 1880 are made by pressing two moulds together, and this can be confirmed by the presence of a seam down the side of the item. Later items were made from a slip cast (which is made in one piece) and there will be no seam. Also the features such as the nose will not be well defined. If you see"Made in England", "Genuine Staffordshire", or "Ye Olde Staffordshire" watch out! A lot of reproductions are made in China,when looking at the item think "is there an oriental influence particularly in the faces? Some of the Spaniels I have seen with Chinese faces are quite beautiful, but are, sad to say copies of the original. Forget the myth that "if there is a hole in the back then it is real" If there is scratching on the base this can indicate that a makers mark has been removed which would imply that the item is modern. Handle and look at as much of the real item as you can, and then you will be in with a better chance of avoiding the reproduction and fakes minefield. If you are unsure, ask the dealer "is this a genuine figure" watch the body language and use your technical knowledge together with your understanding of human behaviour. . . . . . . . . good luck! |
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Another breath of fresh air I found with John Howard is that he suggested I bring him the unbroken one and we can use his 'search and find' service. He doesn't want to take my money right now and pass me off with a pair of Staffordshire Pottery dogs that may or may not be like the one's I want to replace. Further more, he told me of an exhibition at Olympia where he will be showing his stock and we could meet up there. He explained that as part of his commitment to outstanding quality and service, he is a member of the prestigious British Antique Dealers Association and LAPADA, both associations have a code of practice requiring a high quality of stock, and a depth of knowledge and integrity from member dealers. John is a member of the Vetting Committee at the Olympia Fine Arts Fairs and other major fairs in the UK, he is also a member of the June Olympia Advisory Board. It is worth adding that whilst I have banged on about Staffordshire Porcelain Dogs, John Howard sells other pottery such as tankards, pitchers, and other fine articles including spongeware, lustre, gaudy Welsh and early prattware. He has Creamware mainly from the Leeds and Wedgewood Pottery manufacturers. Beautiful portrait fugures in staffordshire pottery, military, royalty, theatrical, social and decorative.Animals; Staffordshire pottery cats, birds, farm and jungle animals... some animals with people - And of course Dogs !! Staffordshire pottery spaniels, greyhounds, poodles, pugs, and other breeds... some with people |
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Contact Information
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News Release By Peter Yexley EN6 3NA Telephone 01707 646457
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