What is a ceramic flatback figure?

A ceramic flatback figure is a Victorian Staffordshire pottery ornament moulded with a flat, unadorned rear so it could sit flush against a wall on a mantelpiece or shelf. These pieces typically depict historical figures, royalty, literary characters, or animals, capturing popular culture of the nineteenth century through hand-painted earthenware.

Where were these figures made?

They were produced primarily in the industrial pottery towns of Staffordshire, England, during the Victorian era by numerous local potteries and workshops. The region possessed the necessary clay resources, fuel, and specialised labour to dominate the production of popular decorative ceramics.

How were spill vases used?

Spill vases incorporated a built-in hollow tube alongside the decorative figure to hold slender wooden spills used for transferring flames from a hearth fire to candles or pipes. They combined domestic utility with the popular ornamental style of nineteenth-century mantelpiece decoration.

How do I date a flatback figure?

Dating relies on identifying the historical events, royal marriages, military campaigns, or public figures depicted, such as the Crimean War or early portraits of Queen Victoria. Stylistic markers include the type of earthenware body, the intensity of the lead glaze, and the specific application of enamel paints typical of the nineteenth century.

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Ceramic Flatback Figure

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These ceramic flatback figure items bring Victorian parlour life into your home with their colourful portraits and theatrical subjects designed to sit flat against a wall.

Rare Pair Large Staffordshire Royal Goats C1860

19th century

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Rare Pair Large Staffordshire Royal Goats C1860

From Shaun King Antiques

£285

FOR SALE

ceramics

Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Royal Portrait Figure ~ Princess Alice and Louis of Hesse ~ H 690

19th century

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Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Royal Portrait Figure ~ Princess Alice and Louis of Hesse ~ H 690

From Applecross Antiques

£235

FOR SALE

ceramics

A Staffordshire Flatback Figure of Scottish Laird and His Wife

19th century

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A Staffordshire Flatback Figure of Scottish Laird and His Wife

From CJ Antiques

£125

FOR SALE

ceramics

19th century

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19thc Staffordshire Turk

From Mike Melody Antiques

£110

FOR SALE

ceramics

Rare 'Babes in the Wood' Staffordshire Figure

19th century

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Rare 'Babes in the Wood' Staffordshire Figure

From Prometheus Antiques

£120

FOR SALE

vases

19th century

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Antique Victorian Staffordshire Figure

From London City Antiques

£325

FOR SALE

ceramics

Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Portrait Figure ~ "Admiral Sir Charles Napier"

19th century

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Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Portrait Figure ~ "Admiral Sir Charles Napier"

From Applecross Antiques

£335

FOR SALE

ceramics

19th century

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Staffordshire Dog Clock Group C1860

From Shaun King Antiques

£365

FOR SALE

ceramics

Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Portrait Figure "John Anderson, My Jo"

19th century

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Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Portrait Figure "John Anderson, My Jo"

From Applecross Antiques

£395

FOR SALE

ceramics

Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Theatrical Portrait Figure ~ "Jenny Lind as Marie"

19th century

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Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Theatrical Portrait Figure ~ "Jenny Lind as Marie"

From Applecross Antiques

£895

FOR SALE

ceramics

Victorian mantelpieces gained extra charm from these figures, where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert often shared shelf space with eager spaniels and temperance reformers.

19th century

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A Pair of 19th Century Staffordshire Cats

From John Hubbard Antiques

£125

FOR SALE

ceramics

Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Figure ~ "Little Red Riding Hood"

19th century

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Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Figure ~ "Little Red Riding Hood"

From Applecross Antiques

£235

FOR SALE

ceramics

Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Figure Group ~ "Band of Hope"

19th century

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Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Figure Group ~ "Band of Hope"

From Applecross Antiques

£495

FOR SALE

ceramics

Napoleon III and Eugenie Staffordshire Figure C1860

19th century

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Napoleon III and Eugenie Staffordshire Figure C1860

From Shaun King Antiques

£165

FOR SALE

ceramics

19th century

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Staffordshire Temperance Figurine

From Antoinettes Heirlooms

£150

FOR SALE

ceramics

Victorian Staffordshire Figure Death of the Lion Queen C1850

19th century

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Victorian Staffordshire Figure Death of the Lion Queen C1850

From Shaun King Antiques

£385

FOR SALE

ceramics

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Ceramic Flatback Figure

Rare Pair Large Staffordshire Royal Goats C1860

Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Royal Portrait Figure ~ Princess Alice and Louis of Hesse ~ H 690

A Staffordshire Flatback Figure of Scottish Laird and His Wife

19thc Staffordshire Turk

Rare 'Babes in the Wood' Staffordshire Figure

Antique Victorian Staffordshire Figure

Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Portrait Figure ~ "Admiral Sir Charles Napier"

Staffordshire Dog Clock Group C1860

Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Portrait Figure "John Anderson, My Jo"

Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Theatrical Portrait Figure ~ "Jenny Lind as Marie"

A Pair of 19th Century Staffordshire Cats

Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Figure ~ "Little Red Riding Hood"

Antique English Victorian Staffordshire Pottery Figure Group ~ "Band of Hope"

Napoleon III and Eugenie Staffordshire Figure C1860

Staffordshire Temperance Figurine

Victorian Staffordshire Figure Death of the Lion Queen C1850

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