An impressive, monumental pair of figures depicting the American evangelists Dwight Moody and Ira Sankey.
Moody (a powerful preacher) and Sankey (a composer and singer) travelled around the United States of America attracting huge congregations at their revivalist sermons. They first visited Britain in 1873, with great publicity, and it is likely that these figures were first produced then.
These figures were made by the potter Sampson Smith to whom several large portrait figures (with a similar ‘brick-type’ background) are attributed. Smith produced Moody and Sankey figures in three sizes (of which these are the largest) and in great number. While some are almost entirely white, most are well-coloured as these are with underglaze black jackets, floral motifs on waistcoats, green ‘brick-type’ backdrops, and moulded sans-serif gilt titles.
Moody and Sankey figures appear in the Kent Factory catalogue, indicating that Smith may have sold his moulds to William Kent as his factory declined. It is generally accepted, however, that Kent did not reproduce the figures in the larger size. We can confidently attribute these to Sampson Smith.
The figures present very well - striking and imposing - and are offered in good retouched condition. There is a chip to the corner of Moody’s jacket (by his left thigh) and this has been repainted in black, though the gilt has not been recreated. There is some limited flaking to the green of the base by his right foot. There is a small chip to the cover of Sankey’s Bible and this too has been repainted to conceal the damage. Sankey’s hair was originally overglaze (in contrast to the jacket) and some flaking has been retouched. These retouches are fairly subtle and not distracting when the figures are displayed. The crazing on Sankey is more vivid than that on Moody.
Reference: P. D. Gordon Pugh, Staffordshire Portrait Figures, p. D379, pl. 4, figs 9 and 10
Height: 17.5”
Date: c. 1873
An impressive, monumental pair of figures depicting the American evangelists Dwight Moody and Ira Sankey.
Moody (a powerful preacher) and Sankey (a composer and singer) travelled around the United States of America attracting huge congregations at their revivalist sermons. They first visited Britain in 1873, with great publicity, and it is likely that these figures were first produced then.
These figures were made by the potter Sampson Smith to whom several large portrait figures (with a similar ‘brick-type’ background) are attributed. Smith produced Moody and Sankey figures in three sizes (of which these are the largest) and in great number. While some are almost entirely white, most are well-coloured as these are with underglaze black jackets, floral motifs on waistcoats, green ‘brick-type’ backdrops, and moulded sans-serif gilt titles.
Moody and Sankey figures appear in the Kent Factory catalogue, indicating that Smith may have sold his moulds to William Kent as his factory declined. It is generally accepted, however, that Kent did not reproduce the figures in the larger size. We can confidently attribute these to Sampson Smith.
The figures present very well - striking and imposing - and are offered in good retouched condition. There is a chip to the corner of Moody’s jacket (by his left thigh) and this has been repainted in black, though the gilt has not been recreated. There is some limited flaking to the green of the base by his right foot. There is a small chip to the cover of Sankey’s Bible and this too has been repainted to conceal the damage. Sankey’s hair was originally overglaze (in contrast to the jacket) and some flaking has been retouched. These retouches are fairly subtle and not distracting when the figures are displayed. The crazing on Sankey is more vivid than that on Moody.
Reference: P. D. Gordon Pugh, Staffordshire Portrait Figures, p. D379, pl. 4, figs 9 and 10
Height: 17.5”
Date: c. 1873
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