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ID #SA1134039
FOR SALE
£385
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Victorian Staffordshire Figure Death of the Lion Queen C1850
For sale by Shaun King Antiques
for sale €450     $489
£385
Shaun King Antiques

Shaun King Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Feb 2013
Browse dealers 354 items
  • About Us
    Third generation antiques dealer selling a wide range of large and small antiques pre 1920.
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Id #SA1134039
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Victorian Staffordshire Figure Death of the Lion Queen C1850

19th century
Description

This rare Victorian Staffordshire Figure is entitled THE DEATH OF THE LION QUEEN I. Gilt to the base.

It depicts 16 year old ELLEN BRIGHT who was mauled to death, mid-performance, at Wombwell’s Circus, Chatham in 1850.

Such was the outcry that following the inquest in to her death, only men were allowed into the cages, by law.

It makes for a very striking and poignant figure.

The head of Miss Bright and the feathers on her hat have been off and reglued. Very little of the original pottery is missing from these old repairs. There is also an old chips to the front peak of her hat. There are other signs of minor wear, some of which have occurred during the firing.

Height: 14.5 inches (37 cm)

Express delivery within the UK is included. We ship Worldwide and are happy to quote for Overseas Delivery on request.

Date of Manufacture

Shaun King Antiques has dated this Staffordshire Lion Queen Figure to the 1850s.

Independent Date Guide ID 08938273
Dealer's Item Date1850s
Sellingantiques Date1850s
Sellingantiques agingItem 165-180 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 1850s:
Gilt script title across the base: commemorates the circus event of 1850.
Network of fine crazing in the lead glaze: natural age across earthenware.
Hollow press-moulded base with an open underside: mid-Victorian factory manufacture.
Overglaze enamel colours in chrome green and rose pink: mid-19th century Staffordshire palette.

This Independent Date Guide was compiled by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. It works only from the photographs shown on this page and is never told the date the dealer has declared. It is a guide, not a guarantee of age, and occasional errors can occur.

Physical Dimensions
Height
37cm (14.57")
Width
22cm (8.66")
Depth
8cm (3.15")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1134039
Dealers Notes

We are a family business of three generations going back to the 1920s. Customer satisfaction is what we strive for.

Payment can be made by Bank Transfer or by the PayPal button, either as a member or a guest, using any major credit or debit card.

Please contact for Inland and Overseas Shipping costs unless otherwise stated on the individual item description.

Description
This rare Victorian Staffordshire Figure is entitled THE DEATH OF THE LION QUEEN I. Gilt to the base.
“
It depicts 16 year old ELLEN BRIGHT who was mauled to death, mid-performance, at Wombwell’s Circus, Chatham in 1850.
Shaun King Antiques
fig 1. A Victorian Staffordshire earthenware pottery figure titled Death of the Lion Queen, featuring a female figure flanked by a leaping leopard and a seated lion.
fig 1. Victorian Staffordshire Figure Death of the Lion Queen C1850

Such was the outcry that following the inquest in to her death, only men were allowed into the cages, by law.

It makes for a very striking and poignant figure.

The head of Miss Bright and the feathers on her hat have been off and reglued. Very little of the original pottery is missing from these old repairs. There is also an old chips to the front peak of her hat. There are other signs of minor wear, some of which have occurred during the firing.

Height: 14.5 inches (37 cm)

Express delivery within the UK is included. We ship Worldwide and are happy to quote for Overseas Delivery on request.

Date of Manufacture

Shaun King Antiques has dated this Staffordshire Lion Queen Figure to the 1850s.

Independent Date Report ID 08938273
Dealer's Item Date1850s
Sellingantiques dating1850s
Sellingantiques agingItem 165-180 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 1850s:
Gilt script title across the base: commemorates the circus event of 1850.
Network of fine crazing in the lead glaze: natural age across earthenware.
Hollow press-moulded base with an open underside: mid-Victorian factory manufacture.
Overglaze enamel colours in chrome green and rose pink: mid-19th century Staffordshire palette.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
37cm (14.57")
Width
22cm (8.66")
Depth
8cm (3.15")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1134039
Shaun King Antiques
Shaun King Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Feb 2013

Third generation antiques dealer selling a wide range of large and small antiques pre 1920.

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Shaun King Antiques Profile Page

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A Victorian Staffordshire earthenware pottery figure titled Death of the Lion Queen, featuring a female figure flanked by a leaping leopard and a seated lion.
1 / 8
Archive I A Victorian Staffordshire earthenware pottery figure titled Death of the Lion Queen, featuring a female figure flanked by a leaping leopard and a seated lion.

Victorian Staffordshire Figure Death of the Lion Queen C1850

Archive II A Victorian Staffordshire earthenware pottery figure titled Death of the Lion Queen, featuring a female figure flanked by a leaping leopard and a seated lion. View II
Archive III A Victorian Staffordshire earthenware pottery figure titled Death of the Lion Queen, featuring a female figure flanked by a leaping leopard and a seated lion. View III
Archive IV A Victorian Staffordshire earthenware pottery figure titled Death of the Lion Queen, featuring a female figure flanked by a leaping leopard and a seated lion. View IV
Archive V A Victorian Staffordshire earthenware pottery figure titled Death of the Lion Queen, featuring a female figure flanked by a leaping leopard and a seated lion. View V
Archive VI A Victorian Staffordshire earthenware pottery figure titled Death of the Lion Queen, featuring a female figure flanked by a leaping leopard and a seated lion. View VI
Archive VII A Victorian Staffordshire earthenware pottery figure titled Death of the Lion Queen, featuring a female figure flanked by a leaping leopard and a seated lion. View VII
Archive VIII A Victorian Staffordshire earthenware pottery figure titled Death of the Lion Queen, featuring a female figure flanked by a leaping leopard and a seated lion. View VIII
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Shaun King Antiques

Shaun King Antiques
Telephone 01953 453 285 or 07702 043910
Location
Attleborough
Norfolk
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/shaunkingantiques
Verified Since Feb 2013
Items For Sale 354
Items Sold 1,408
Shaun King Antiques
Shaun King Antiques
Verified Since Feb 2013
View Dealer Info
Location: Attleborough , Norfolk, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/shaunkingantiques
Verified
Feb 2013
For Sale
354
Sold
1,408
A Victorian Staffordshire earthenware pottery figure titled Death of the Lion Queen, featuring a female figure flanked by a leaping leopard and a seated lion.
VICTORIAN STAFFORDSHIRE FIGURE DEATH OF THE LION QUEEN c1850
Ref: SA1134039
A Victorian Staffordshire earthenware pottery figure titled Death of the Lion Queen, featuring a female figure flanked by a leaping leopard and a seated lion.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
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Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectFigurines
  • Period19th century
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialEarthenware, Lead Glaze, Enamel
  • ColourMulticolour
  • MotifsMoulded base script, Hand-painted enamels, Circus costume, Wild animal figures
  • SizeH 37 cm (15 in) x W 22 cm (9 in) x D 8 cm (3 in)

This Victorian Staffordshire earthenware pottery figure group dates to circa 1850. The piece depicts the tragic historical subject titled Death of the Lion Queen, showing a female circus performer wearing a pink bodice, green and red plaid skirt, and orange boots, with a white hat featuring a green and white feather. She stands on a white glazed, moulded rockwork base inscribed with script reading Death of the Lion Queen, flanked by a leaping yellow leopard with black and green spots on its body and a seated brown lion with a darker mane. Hand-painted enamels decorate the figures beneath a glossy lead glaze, and gilt lettering runs along the base. The head of the figure and the feathers on her hat show old repairs where they have been off and reglued, alongside an old chip to the front peak of the hat and minor firing flaws. Dimensions are 37 cm high, 22 cm wide, and 8 cm deep. The figural group sits appropriately on a mantelpiece or shelf within an English Country House setting today.

FAQs

Produced primarily in the Staffordshire potteries during the nineteenth century, these earthenware figures depicted popular contemporary events, royalty, theatrical performers, and notable historical occurrences for popular home display.

Staffordshire figures were press-moulded in sections using earthenware clay, fired, coated in a clear lead glaze, and subsequently hand-painted with overglaze enamel pigments.

Authentic pieces typically feature small air-release holes, visible moulding seams, age-appropriate glaze crazing, and subtle wear to the overglaze enamels consistent with age.

Position the piece as a narrative focal point on a chimney mantelpiece, within an open bookshelf arrangement, or curated alongside a collection of period decorative objects.

Clean the surface using a soft, dry brush or a minimally damp microfiber cloth, avoiding submersion in water to protect unglazed internal surfaces and fragile enamels.
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