31. Equestrians

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Enamel-painted Figures

31.1a-d. Coursing Spill Vases

The figure group below is like that shown in Ch. 31, Equestrians, but two dogs are added. This raises the possibility that this is a coursing group, which I believe was part of a circus reenactment. (Given my added knowledge, I believe that some of the figure groups below, originally shown in Chapter 84, Hunters, Sportsmen, etc, should have been shown in this chapter, which includes circus equestrians. To avoid confusing matters further, I am including this subject matter in both chapters!)

antique Staffordshire pottery, Staffordshire figure, pearlware, spill vase, equestrian Staffordshire figures, coursing spill vase, Myrna Schkolne

Courtesy David Boyer.

I have since discovered a fabulous garniture in a private collection. It comprises three spill vases on the same coursing theme:

the central vase is like that above, with one dog only.
the right hand vase is like 84.77 or 78.
the left hand vase has the same man upon a horse

Also since added to our knowledge base are two related spill vases.
The vase on the right is very like the one in the three-pice garniture above, but the dog stands.
The vase on the left is a new addition. The small cottage behind it can be seen as an independent figure in the chapter on Buildings in Volume 4.

Courtesy Hannams Auctioneers.

And last but not least, these two vases, which add yet another chapter to this story.

31.11a. Attributed to the Leather Leaf Group and in almost entirely original condition. The horses are on a larger, chunkier scale than other large equestrian pairs, and the figures too are somewhat bigger.

31.11b. I suspect this once had a Leather Leaf bocage, but now the bocage appears totally restored. There appear to be TWO bocages.

31.16a. I have not recorded another equestrian on this base. This image is from a Neiman Marcus advertisement from the 1950s!

31.9a. This is a tall figure, like the equestrians in the first part of chapter 31. From Stanley's "Collecting Staffordshire Pottery."

31.23a. Attributed to Leather Leaf Group and a companion to 31.23. Shown in the Addendum to Volume 4.

31.26a. Attributed to HALL. Courtesy John Howard.

31.33a. The companion to the figure shown in 31.31 and also from the Blue Group pot bank. Courtesy John Howard.

31.40. Apparently with a Salt-type bocage, rather unusual on an equestrian. There are extensive "issues" that include a made-up head on the person.

31.41. With bocage leaves not otherwise recorded, and I suspect they are original.

31.42. Attributed to the Leaf Mat Group, and the only equestrian figure from this pot bank...so far.

31.43. Courtesy of Stair Auction Galleries.

31.44. Right figure is impressed SALT.

31.45. Courtesy eBay seller wworst12.

31.46.

Underglaze-decorated Figures

The figures in the next block were all made by the Yorkshire pot bank dubbed "the pottery that used the large impressed crown mark."

Courtesy Earle D. Vandekar.

Courtesy Christies

Courtesy Bonhams

Like 31.32 but all colors are underglaze. Courtesy John Howard.

Important race horse

I know of only these two examples of this figure group.

The left hand example is from an old ad by the NY dealer Benjamin Ginsburg. Height of the horse is given as 10 inches.
The right hand example sold at Christie's NY in January 2003. The page is from the catalog. This horse is inscribed "JA 1844" beneath and the horse is thought to be Dunstan, a horse of some note in Staffordshire circa 1840. The height is 11.5 inches. The colors are those that we associate with Scotland or North East England, but this figure may well have been made in the Potteries. We just don't know! Significantly, the date of 1844 is later than might otherwise have been assumed. Similarly, note the George and Dragon in Volume 2 (the book, not the site) that is dated 1838. Pratt ware continued in use for a good deal longer than has been generally assumed.