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ID #SA902672
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£365
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Pair of Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Theatrical Figures "Ben Backstay & Companion"
For sale by Applecross Antiques
for sale €427     $464
£365
Applecross Antiques

Applecross Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Sep 2010
Browse dealers 210 items
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Pair of Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Theatrical Figures "Ben Backstay & Companion"

19th century
Description

A quite delightful Pair of Early 19th Century Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Theatrical Figures depicting a sailor, Ben Backstay, H 1109, and his lady companion, H 1110, the identification being taken from a lithograph published in 1823 entitled, "Mr. T.P. Cooke as "Ben Backstay". Thomas Potter Cooke, { 1786 - 1864 }, the son of a London surgeon served in the Royal Navy as a boy before making his first stage appearance in 1804, subsequently appearing in numerous nautical productions during his long theatrical career.

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Date of Manufacture

Applecross Antiques has dated these Staffordshire Pottery Figures to the 19th Century.

Independent Date Guide ID 07318704
Dealer's Item Date19th Century
Sellingantiques Date19th Century
Sellingantiques agingItem 150-180 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 19TH CENTURY:
Hand-painted enamel colours over white earthenware: mid-Victorian Staffordshire manufacture.
Unpainted glaze across the backs: made for show on a chimneypiece.
Fine natural crazing throughout the glaze: age and contraction over time.
Thin gilded line around each base: typical mid-19th-century finish.
Small firing vent and painter tally marks underneath: factory practice of the period.

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
23cm (9.06")
Width
9cm (3.54")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA902672
Dealers Internal Reference
POAEVSPFBBAC-63
Dealers Notes

OUR SHIPPING POLICY Reviewed and Updated 01 October 2026

We offer worldwide shipping for all items via Royal Mail / ParcelForce Tracked Express Services at the rates shown in the following table. The shipping cost of each item, which in all cases includes ‘Loss in Transit’ insurance cover, is calculated using a combination of factors. These include the shipping destination selected during checkout, together with the weight, size and value of the item.

Very Small ~ United Kingdom ~ Free ~ European Union ~ £20 ~ Rest of the World ~ £30

Small ~ United Kingdom ~ Free ~ European Union ~ £35 ~ Rest of the World ~ £45

Medium ~ United Kingdom Free ~ European Union ~ £55 ~ Rest of the World ~ £75

Large ~ United Kingdom ~ Free ~ European Union ~ £95 ~ Rest of the World ~ £125

We are pleased to offer a Shipping Fee Discount of 20% to clients purchasing more than one item in the same order. This works in the following manner ~ The highest value item in any order will be charged the appropriate Shipping Fee at the normal rate whilst all other items will benefit from a Shipping Fee Discount of 20%

N.B. :- Please be aware that we do NOT offer insurance against damage in transit ~ Clients requiring more comprehensive insurance cover are therefore advised to seek professional advice and a written quotation from a registered Insurance Broker.

The Packing, Insurance and Shipping Fee, where appropriate, shall form an integral part of the agreed transaction cost. In the event that payment is received for goods but the Packing, Insurance and Shipping Fee remains outstanding, dispatch may, at our absolute discretion, be delayed until such time as full settlement has been completed. Clients will immediately be advised by email upon receipt of such orders in order that such situation may promptly be rectified.

Applecross agree to accept your order subject to your your unfettered agreement to and your complete acceptance of their Terms and Conditions as displayed on the Customer Services page of their primary website, https://www.applecrossantiques.com and which shall be deemed exclusively to form the basis of any Contract of Sale which may be agreed or which may be deemed to arise from the same between Applecross as the SELLER and yourself or your agents as BUYER.

Description
A quite delightful Pair of Early 19th Century Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Theatrical Figures depicting a sailor, Ben Backstay, H 1109, and his lady companion, H 1110, the identification being taken from a lithograph published in 1823 entitled, "Mr. T.P. Cooke as "Ben Backstay". Thomas Potter Cooke, { 1786 - 1864 }, the son of a London surgeon served in the Royal Navy as a boy before making his first stage appearance in 1804, subsequently appearing in numerous nautical productions during his long theatrical career.
fig 1. A pair of antique Victorian Staffordshire ceramic theatrical figures dressed in navy jackets, tartan patterned clothing, and holding hats.
fig 1. Pair of Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Theatrical Figures "Ben Backstay & Companion"

Love This Item ? ~ Why Not Make Us An Offer ?

“
BUY this fine Collector's Item NOW with your Debit / Credit Card via STRIPE our Ultra Secure Payment Gateway or via PayPal ~ Simply make your selection at the Checkout.
Applecross Antiques
Date of Manufacture

Applecross Antiques has dated these Staffordshire Pottery Figures to the 19th Century.

Independent Date Report ID 07318704
Dealer's Item Date19th Century
Sellingantiques dating19th Century
Sellingantiques agingItem 150-180 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 19th Century:
Hand-painted enamel colours over white earthenware: mid-Victorian Staffordshire manufacture.
Unpainted glaze across the backs: made for show on a chimneypiece.
Fine natural crazing throughout the glaze: age and contraction over time.
Thin gilded line around each base: typical mid-19th-century finish.
Small firing vent and painter tally marks underneath: factory practice of the period.

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
23cm (9.06")
Width
9cm (3.54")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA902672
Dealers Internal Ref
POAEVSPFBBAC-63
Applecross Antiques
Applecross Antiques
Sellingantiques verified Since Sep 2010

Dealers in the old, the rare and the beautiful ~

Dealer Profile

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

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A pair of antique Victorian Staffordshire ceramic theatrical figures dressed in navy jackets, tartan patterned clothing, and holding hats.
1 / 6
Archive I A pair of antique Victorian Staffordshire ceramic theatrical figures dressed in navy jackets, tartan patterned clothing, and holding hats.

Pair of Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Theatrical Figures "Ben Backstay & Companion"

Archive II A pair of antique Victorian Staffordshire ceramic theatrical figures dressed in navy jackets, tartan patterned clothing, and holding hats. View II
Archive III A pair of antique Victorian Staffordshire ceramic theatrical figures dressed in navy jackets, tartan patterned clothing, and holding hats. View III
Archive IV A pair of antique Victorian Staffordshire ceramic theatrical figures dressed in navy jackets, tartan patterned clothing, and holding hats. View IV
Archive V A pair of antique Victorian Staffordshire ceramic theatrical figures dressed in navy jackets, tartan patterned clothing, and holding hats. View V
Archive VI A pair of antique Victorian Staffordshire ceramic theatrical figures dressed in navy jackets, tartan patterned clothing, and holding hats. View VI
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Applecross Antiques

Applecross Antiques
Telephone 07711 802159
Location
Shrewsbury
Shropshire
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/applecross
Verified Since Sep 2010
Items For Sale 210
Items Sold 350
Applecross Antiques
Applecross Antiques
Verified Since Sep 2010
View Dealer Info
Location: Shrewsbury, Shropshire, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/applecross
Verified
Sep 2010
For Sale
210
Sold
350
A pair of antique Victorian Staffordshire ceramic theatrical figures dressed in navy jackets, tartan patterned clothing, and holding hats.
Pair of Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Theatrical Figures "Ben Backstay & Companion"
Ref: SA902672
A pair of antique Victorian Staffordshire ceramic theatrical figures dressed in navy jackets, tartan patterned clothing, and holding hats.
Detail View 1
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Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectDecorative Figurines
  • Period19th century
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialEarthenware, Glaze, Enamel
  • ColourCobalt Blue and White
  • MotifsPress-moulded ceramic, Tartan pattern, Hand-painted enamels, Moulded bases
  • SizeH 23 cm (9 in) x W 9 cm (4 in)

These 19th Century English Victorian Staffordshire pottery theatrical figures depict a sailor, Ben Backstay, and his lady companion, modelled in earthenware with a glossy glaze. Both figures stand on circular moulded white bases, each wearing a dark cobalt blue jacket, with the female figure wearing a red, green and white tartan pattern skirt and the male figure dressed in white trousers and a striped top in red, green and white enamels. They hold round straw-textured hats and have dark hair framing painted facial features, finished with touches of hand-painted polychrome decoration. The pair measures 23 cm high and 9 cm wide. Ideal for display in an English country house interior, they sit comfortably upon a mantelpiece or bookshelf as ornamental collector's items.

FAQs

Staffordshire figures are earthenware ornaments produced in the Staffordshire potteries region of England, primarily during the 19th century. They frequently depicted popular cultural icons, historical events, royalty, theatrical characters, and everyday folk scenes.

These items were manufactured using moulded earthenware decorated with underglaze cobalt blue and hand-painted overglaze enamel colours. A clear lead glaze was typically applied prior to firing in kilns.

Authentic Victorian pieces generally feature press-moulded hollow interiors, small air release holes at the back or base, lead glazes, and age-related crazing. They often lack maker marks and display minor hand-painted variations.

Displaying a pair symmetrically on a fireplace mantelpiece, bookshelf, or side table creates a classic focal point. They add colour, historical narrative, and visual interest when grouped with books or modern stoneware.

Clean ceramics using a soft, dry microfibre cloth or dry brush to remove dust. Avoid immersing earthenware in water or using chemical cleaners, as moisture can enter fine crazing lines and degrade overglaze enamels.
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