What kinds of figures turn up most often?

Victorian Staffordshire earthenware leads. "Staffordshire" appears in about a third of titles, with portrait subjects, theatrical characters and animals, spaniels most of all. Porcelain is the other large block, roughly a quarter, split between English factory figures and Continental figures and groups. Parian, bisque, terracotta and Asian ceramics make up the remainder.

Why do so many listings say pair?

Figures were commonly made as facing companions for either end of a mantel. Shepherd and shepherdess, lady and gentleman, or two animals turned toward each other. A quarter of all titles on Sellingantiques carry the word, so the pair is close to the category's standard unit rather than an exception.

How old are these figures?

Dealer-entered dates run from 1700 to 1960. One outlier sits outside that span, an Egyptian faience shabti entered simply as "Before 1700". Much of the category is dated by era: "19th Century" covers 335 listings, "Victorian" another 95, "18th Century" 104. Where a year is given, the 1860s and 1880s are the densest decades.

Are figures ever useful as well as decorative?

Often. The listings include watch holders, spill vases, quill and pen holders, inkwells, candlesticks, money boxes, bookends and a pepper pot, all modelled as figures. One group even advertises soap.

Does size affect where a figure sits in the range?

Height gets quoted as a selling point when there is height to quote, and "large" appears in 145 titles. The taller entries, 50cm harvesters, 52.5cm parian, French and German pairs at 60cm and above, cluster toward the top of the sampled range.

Which Asian figures appear in this category?

Chinese figures are named in 46 titles and Japanese in 33, making these the least common origins recorded against 101 titles that simply say English. They include Tang-style sancai tomb figures, Dehua blanc de chine Guanyin, Sumida Gawa wares, and a pair of Japanese ceramic roof ornaments.

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Antique Figures

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Modelled ceramic figures - people, animals and allegories in pottery, porcelain, parian, bisque and terracotta - made as mantel and table ornaments, and often doing a job as well.