A pair of clowns
This is a fine pair of Staffordshire clowns, both standing 6 ½” tall, dating to circa 1860. Each is wearing pantaloons, with the figure on the left holding a cane. These figures may be found in Pugh’s Staffordshire Portrait Figures, page 423, and are considered rare. Interestingly, the word “pantaloon” not only describes the pants being worn, but the person wearing them. Pugh refers to the figure on the right as a “clown”, and the one on the left as a “pantaloon”. Wikipedia refers to a “pantaloon” as an “ageing buffoon”. Both figures have been referred to by the names of various clowns, but their true identities remain unknown.
More Figures of the month
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.
Old Age
This is a fine pair of early Staffordshire figures portraying “Old Age”. They stand about 8 ¾” tall and date to about 1820.
A pair of pointers
This is a rare pair of Staffordshire foxhounds, pointers, or game dogs. Whatever one decides to call them, they are an unusual and very fine pair.
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