This charming Staffordshire figure commemorates one of the celebrated heroines of the Victorian age—Grace Darling (1815–1842). The daughter of a lighthouse keeper, Grace became a national icon after her daring rescue of survivors from the shipwrecked Forfarshire off the Northumberland coast in 1838. Braving fierce seas in a small rowing boat with her father, she helped save nine lives, against all odds. Just a few years later she died of tuberculosis.
Her youthful bravery captured the public’s imagination, inspiring poetry, paintings—and popular ceramic tributes like this figure.
Grace Darling by Thomas Brooks, a popular victorian Lithograph
Grace’s story epitomised Victorian ideals of courage and virtue, making her a popular subject for ‘mementos’ – including children’s books, several ballads with illustrations, and of course the Staffordshire potters were up with the trend, producing these charming figures for the domestic mantel shelf.
‘Grace Darling’ paper cut-out, mid-Victorian
There’s probably a print with the scene depicted, as yet not identified.
OurGrace Darling Staffordshire Figure, in an imagined storm…… c. 1850
What makes this example unique is…. she’s alone her boat! Her father should be in there with her, seated opposite. In this case there is a white-glazed area, which closer examination shows to be a pair of legs and nothing else! It looks like the wave that has almost swamped the small lifeboat the brave girl is rowing has swept her father away, leaving only his trousers!
What has happened is a firing flaw in the factory – he’s come off in the initial firing – or the person responsible for placing him into the original clay moulded blank has missed this small additional moulded piece – so that when it came to be glazed, it was simply smoothed over and glazed, and never painted.
From the English Derby factory comes a piece by their finest botanical artist, William ‘Quaker’ Pegg.
Derby ‘Quaker’ Pegg Botanical Plate, c. 1796
William Pegg, known as Pegg the Quaker for his personal beliefs, was born in 1775, the son of a gardener, and came to be regarded as one of the finest painters of flowers on porcelain of all time.
He came to Staffordshire – ‘The Potteries’ – aged 10, in 1788. He was apprenticed as a ‘china painter’ – and would have been tasked with the monotonous jobs like ground colours and gilding rims. He collected prints and learnt how to draw, concentrating on plants – hardly surprising considering his father’s profession.
He had heard John Wesley preach in 1786, and had joined the Quaker ‘Society of Friends’ who followed the thoughts of men like George Fox – “…Thou shalt not make any graven Image, or simulate any figure… male or female… winged fowl… creeping thing… fish… by the express command of God”. He took this to heart, and flowers became his focus.
This magnificent yellow-ground plate has a large, accurate specimen to the center. The back has the title in blue – in the distinct script attributed to Pegg’s hand- “Lamium Orvala / Balm-leaved Archangel, or Dead Nettle. “ This was taken from the most current horticultural publication of the period, ‘Curtis’s Botanical Magazine’, plate 172, published in 1791. Other examples are dated to circa 1796, early in Pegg’s botanical works.
Lamium Orvala / Balm-leaved Archangel, or Dead Nettle. ‘Curtis’s Botanical Magazine’, plate 172, published in 1791.
A stunning silver & etched glass claret jug is Fresh to Moorabool. The body is decorated with blackberry canes, flowers and fruit – which continues to the solid silver mounts, with a twisted cane and root as the handle. The result is a spectacular, useful piece of Art Nouveau beauty.
The marks on the piece indicate the components are actually made in different countries. The glass is French, marked for Verrerie de Sèvres – a glass works located on the outskirts of Paris. The silver is Austrian, made in Vienna by the master-silversmith firm, Brüder Franks, the Franks Brothers. It bears the mark of the company – ‘BF’ – and also a ‘winged hammer’, the mark of one of the brothers, Rudolf Frank. The firm was active in the latter 19th , early 20th century in Vienna, making high-quality pieces like this – although the combination of French Glass and Viennese silver is rarely seen.
While the Verrerie de Sèvres was founded during the reign of Louis XV, and located at the place named Sèvres, it was not part of the Royal manufactory, but an independent concern small size, making useful wares for the local market. This changed in 1870 with a new owner, Landier, who began the manufacture of lead crystal glass, and changed the name to ‘Christallerie de Sèvres’. In 1875 he took over an established glassworks in Clichy, enabling him to introduce new techniques of manufacture and engraving. The name was then added to : ‘Christalleries de Sèvres etClichy Réunis’. As the 1890’s began, they were engaged in the multitude of artistic glass styles, and some naturalistic forms were made. This was the beginning of the Art Nouveau movement, and they developed a splendid range of Nouveau taste designs using acid to etch the background of the vessels to give them a natural texture, reserving designs – such as the leaves on this piece – which were then further embellished. Some were mounted there in silver-plate; this example is rare, having solid-silver mounts.
The mark of ‘V / R’ ranking a sailing ship was used on these quality products from the 1890’s. The V and S are the initials of the firm; the ship is similar to the one found on the arms of the city of Paris, indicating its proximity to the ‘centre of culture’.
This is currently being catalogued, but will include over 300 items, with some absolute bargains –
and a number of major pieces of Australian Art & Historical Items.
Robert Prenzel 1866-1941 (German/Australian) – Pair of almost life-size Aboriginal portraits, signed & dated 1921
Includes two Convict artist works ‘Fresh to the Market’:
George Peacock 1806-1890? (English/Australia) – previously undocumented oil painting “Sydney Harbour from Carrara House, Vaucluse” circa 1855 .
Frederick Strange 1807-73 (English/Australian) ‘View of Launceston from Cornhill’ c. 1858 .
William Dunn Knox 1880-1945 (Australian)- previously unseen oil paintings from the Knox family collection including “The Hill”, “Haystack, Olinda”, “Farmhouse”, 1920’s-30’s.
Jan Hendrik Scheltema 1861-1941 (Dutch/Australian) – view in Holland, oil on canvas
Other Australiana includes an Invite to the opening of the 1st parliament, Exhibition Buildings Carlton in 1901; ‘The SHELL Trophy’ important large trophy for the 1st motorcycle Grand Prix to be held on Phillip Island, 1928; a 1935 bronze Kangaroo, used as a Car Racing Trophy 1st prize in Victoria, 1935; an Australian Sterling Silver Belt Plaque awarded to Nathan Ratcliffe of the Lockwood Farmers Cricket Club, by Melbourne silversmith William Edwards, 1860; attributed to William Edwards, a large silver trophy cup circa 1870 awarded by Alfred Felton at his Melbourne Glass Bottle Works in 1900; plus much more – Uranium Glass, Rare Books, Coins, etc. etc. ……..
Catalogue is being prepared, a future email will alert you when it’s all ready to browse.
George Peacock, Sydney Harbour from Carrara House, Vaucluse, c. 1855
William Edwards Australian Sterling Silver Cricket Award, Lockwood Farmers Cricket Club 1860
William Rickets pottery head
German Porcelain, Gent reading ‘Sidney Morning Heralt’ (sic) c.1880
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