Early 19th Century English Staffordshire Pearlware Miniature Cat Figure

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An exceptionally rare and charming early 19th-century English Staffordshire pearlware miniature pottery figurine of a crouching cat, dating to the … Read more An exceptionally rare and charming early 19th-century English Staffordshire pearlware miniature pottery figurine of a crouching cat, dating to the Late Georgian or Regency period (circa 1810–1835). This miniature folk art treasure features a recumbent, alert cat beautifully hand-painted with tortoiseshell-style orange-brown patches, perched on a heavily textured, grass-green molded base. True to its early origins, the figurine is hand-pressed, solid, and incredibly heavy for its size, rather than hollow or slip-cast like later Victorian reproductions. The piece exhibits the classic hallmarks of genuine early pearlware: the signature lead glaze reveals a distinct bluish-green pooling in the recesses of the molded fur and around the rim of the base where the glaze ran thick. The unglazed footprint is completely flat and dense, featuring a rich, dark, and entirely authentic historic patina built up from generations of sitting on English household mantels. Unmarked, as is correct for utility folk pottery of this era. A magnificent, high-connoisseurship piece for collectors of early English pottery and animal figures. I love the coloring and the detailed facial features. See less