Staffordshire Figure Tithe Pig Group

This is a delightful 19th century Staffordshire figure of the tithe pig group. These colourful early pottery figure groups are quite a rare find today and this is a particularly charming example with nice detail.

In the early 19th century, the centuries-old practice of tithing, or giving 1/10 of your produce, to the church prevailed and it was very unpopular.

Tithing was contentious to say the least. The proceeds were used to support the Church of England, yet people of every religious bent had to pay it. Because tithes were primarily an agricultural tax, the economic output of merchants, manufacturers, and bankers escaped taxation. Gallows humor surfaced to deride this hated form of taxation. In 1751, Boitard engraved a humorous scene showing the farmer and his wife giving 1/10th of their produce to the parson and included was their tenth child. By 1765, Derby had mimicked this in a porcelain vignette, and by the early 1800s the Staffordshire potters were doing the same. This example dates from the early 19th century circa 1820. There has been some restoration to the bocage trees and the hands of the vicar apparently. The colours are bold and strong and the detail is particularly nice to the painted pigs, the sheaves of corn and the bowl of eggs at their feet.

The figure measures 17 cms wide 16 cms high by 7 cms deep.

UK insured delivery is £12

Rams Head Antiques is a family business based in Wolsingham in Weardale where we have had shop premises for 28 years. The shop is generally open every Saturday from 11 am till 3 pm.

You are most welcome to visit the shop but please always check to confirm we are open before travelling. We have been in the antiques trade for well over thirty years now and stock a wide and varied range of antiques and decorative items specialising in carpets and Eastern and Oriental items as well as Georgian and Victorian furniture, mirrors, oil paintings, prints, ceramics and clocks.

We can arrange worldwide delivery on all the items we have in stock, please ask for an accurate quote.

Email:

We offer a full money back guarantee if you are not happy for whatever reason within a seven day period as long as the buyer pays for transportation costs.