Pair of ceramic Staffordshire dogs late 19th century

Pair of ceramic Staffordshire dogs from the end of the 19th century. Some traces of time and wear of the gilding, and slight defects (see photos) Dimensions: Height 26 cm. Base 18×13 cm. The so-called Staffordshire dogs were among the most popular decorative objects in the 19th century in England and Scotland. Staffordshire figurines, designed in pairs, were generally placed on the fireplace to accessorize an interior. But depending on the story, they could also have had a completely different representation. These figurines often represented Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, a breed highly appreciated by the English court since the 17th century and which became popular in the 1840s, during the era of Queen Victoria. The name of these ceramic animals derives from the large production that sprang up in the Staffordshire porcelain factory from the 1720s, but these figurines were also produced on a smaller scale in other factories across England and Scotland. They were very present in bourgeois homes. They were placed on the windows, and their faces turned outwards indicated that the man of the house had returned. Conversely, when the man of the house went out to sea or was at work, the women turned the dogs so that they stood facing each other. Other rumors say that the position of the little canines was used to send a message to a loved one outside.

Ref. : 7Q9RJ321