Circa 1870-1890 Victorian Staffordshire Glass-Eye Spaniel Mantel Dogs, Pair

Details

Description

A matched pair of late nineteenth-century Staffordshire spaniel mantel figures, England, circa 1870–1890, modelled as seated dogs in hollow glazed … Read more A matched pair of late nineteenth-century Staffordshire spaniel mantel figures, England, circa 1870–1890, modelled as seated dogs in hollow glazed earthenware. Each figure is formed in two press-moulded halves, with a visible vertical joining seam extending along the rear of the body and a small original firing or vent hole positioned at the back of the neck. The pair has a combined weight of approximately 6.3 lb, giving the figures substantial physical presence relative to their 11-inch height.

The bodies are finished in a white glaze over deeply moulded feathering, particularly pronounced through the chest, ears and forelegs. Facial details are individually hand finished, with black-painted noses, reddish-brown accents defining the mouths, and dark hand-painted lines articulating the toes and claws. Surviving gold and gilt-lustre decoration remains across areas of the coats and details, with natural age-related fading and loss revealing the underlying white glaze.

Each dog is fitted with applied clear domed glass eyes rather than painted eyes. The glass elements retain dark pupils that are slightly irregular in form and placement from one figure to the other, creating subtle differences in expression and reinforcing the hand-finished character of the pair. The modelling of the faces likewise shows minor asymmetry between the two figures, consistent with individually finished press-moulded Staffordshire pottery.

The glaze exhibits extensive age-related crazing and craquelure throughout, including areas of dense whitish crackle. Considerable wear is present to the metallic gilt and lustre decoration, while the structural bodies remain intact. No major chips or structural cracks are observed. Typical minor firing and manufacturing irregularities are present, consistent with nineteenth-century production. The applied glass eyes remain intact.



Measurements: 11 in H × 4.25 in W × 9 in L

Weight: 6.3 lb combined

Style: Victorian, Traditional English, English Country, Grandmillennial

Origin: Staffordshire, England

Age: Circa 1870–1890 See less