Antiques: Staffordshire

The house we lost just before Memorial Day was full of antiques that my parents had been collecting over the last 30 years, from flow blue pottery, to Staffordshire, to English furniture, American cut crystal, RS Prussia, plenty of golf-themed antiques, etc. My mom's favorite collection--and the one I was most envious of--was her Staffordshire.

Staffordshire pottery was made from around 1740 to1960 and originated in the Stafforshire area of England. Many people of the middle class in England (and later "The Coloines"collected these folk-art creations as mantle pieces. Staffordshire pottery is made from wet clay that potters pressed into molds and allowed to dry. Individual molds were stuck together and fired (to drive out all water). Subjects ranged from stories/poems, to dogs, to figurines displaying acts of battle/victory.

Mom had a few dozen Staffordshire spaniels and a few dozen more Staffordshire greyhounds and other figures. I'm thinking these need to be added to her new collection:

These are especially good spaniels. The detail of the whiskers and the small strokes on their red spots are clues to their value. The puppies are rare too. Also, Staffordshire pieces on bases like this are also an indicator of increased value. I don't think Mom ever had a pair with puppies!

Mom had quite a few greyhounds and greyhound inkwells in her last collection. She has done a great job of replacing many of them. I have never seen a piece like this before. The greyhound is in "action". Those separate legs are phenomenal too.

While Mom may have lost more than 80 pieces of Staffordshire pottery during the fire, I know for a fact that she at least has one quarter of that replaced already. I cleaned up shop here in Dallas at Canterbury Antiques with some great finds. I'm thinking it's just about time for my first piece of Staffordshire.