Father Theobald Mathew
This is a very rare figure of Father Theobald Mathew, standing about 5”tall and dating to about 1843. He stands with his left hand on his hip, and right arm raised and extended, administering the Temperance Pledge of abstinence. This figure may be found in Pugh’s Staffordshire Portrait Figures, page 341, figure 52. The identity of this figure is confirmed with an engraving shown in Pugh, plate 25B, page 58. The identity is also confirmed with a similar figure that is titled. Father Mathew travelled to England in 1843, where he administered the Temperance Pledge to thousands of people at meetings in London.
More Figures of the month
French Soldier and English Sailor
This is a rare Crimean War figure of a French soldier and an English sailor, standing to either side of a gun emplacement.
Queen Victoria
This is a very rare, regal figure, possibly representing Queen Victoria at her coronation. It is unrecorded and no source painting has been located. It stands about 14” tall and, if it is Victoria at her coronation, would date to about 1838. If a pair to this figure ever surfaces, it would probably be Albert, […]
Ralph and Kate Nickleby
This is a very rare and fine pair of Staffordshire figures representing figures from Charles Dickens’ novel “Nicholas Nickleby”, published approximately 1838-39.
Sir William John Codrington
This is a rare figure of Sir William John Codrington. He was a British army officer who eventually became a general and then Commander in Chief of British forces in the Crimean War.
Tam O’Shanter and Souter Johnny
This is a rare pair of early figures of Tam O’Shanter and Souter Johnny, characters in the Robert Burns play “Tam O’Shanter”, written in 1790.
A pair of giraffes
This is a fine pair of Staffordshire giraffes, seated below palm trees, each approximately 5 ½” tall. These figures are very rare, dating to approximately 1850.
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