A large, imposing, and very desirable white and gilt figure depicting Founding Father of the United States, Benjamin Franklin.
Franklin stands with a hat under his left arm and a manuscript in his right. He wears a long coat, patterned waistcoat, and patterned breeches. He stands on a lightly textured white base circled by a gilt band.
The Staffordshire potters produced several very similar figures of Benjamin Franklin, all drawn from the same source material and most likely intended for the American market. Many of these figures are erroneously titled ‘Washington’ or ‘General Washington’ - a misapprehension which clearly spread around the various pot banks which produced these Franklin figures.
Most figures of this form seem to have been produced in the 1850s, but a later colourful version is recorded as having been produced by the Kent-Parr Factory in the 1870s. The style and gilt of this figure suggests a date in the 1860s, but this is difficult to narrow down.
The figure displays well and is in fair condition. The gilding is in good order. There are some small, superficial, fairly discreet chips in places - to the jacket, the manuscript, the base, and the hat. The tip of the nose is restored but it blends in relatively well with the paler flesh tone of the centre of the face.
Reference: P. D. Gordon Pugh, Staffordshire Portrait Figures, p. B224, pl. 23, fig. 70 [or similar]
Height: 15”
Date: c. 1860
Provenance: The Kirkland Tellwright Collection
A large, imposing, and very desirable white and gilt figure depicting Founding Father of the United States, Benjamin Franklin.
Franklin stands with a hat under his left arm and a manuscript in his right. He wears a long coat, patterned waistcoat, and patterned breeches. He stands on a lightly textured white base circled by a gilt band.
The Staffordshire potters produced several very similar figures of Benjamin Franklin, all drawn from the same source material and most likely intended for the American market. Many of these figures are erroneously titled ‘Washington’ or ‘General Washington’ - a misapprehension which clearly spread around the various pot banks which produced these Franklin figures.
Most figures of this form seem to have been produced in the 1850s, but a later colourful version is recorded as having been produced by the Kent-Parr Factory in the 1870s. The style and gilt of this figure suggests a date in the 1860s, but this is difficult to narrow down.
The figure displays well and is in fair condition. The gilding is in good order. There are some small, superficial, fairly discreet chips in places - to the jacket, the manuscript, the base, and the hat. The tip of the nose is restored but it blends in relatively well with the paler flesh tone of the centre of the face.
Reference: P. D. Gordon Pugh, Staffordshire Portrait Figures, p. B224, pl. 23, fig. 70 [or similar]
Height: 15”
Date: c. 1860
Provenance: The Kirkland Tellwright Collection
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