What are Staffordshire pottery dogs?

Staffordshire pottery dogs are Victorian ceramic mantelpiece ornaments modelled as spaniels, poodles, pugs and greyhounds. Potters produced them in pairs to sit symmetrically on either side of a domestic fireplace.

How were Staffordshire dogs displayed?

Victorian households placed these pairs of ceramic dogs on mantelpieces, consoles and fireside shelves. They faced inward toward one another, mirroring the symmetry typical of nineteenth-century interior decoration.

How do I tell different breeds apart?

Spaniels are typically shown with floppy ears and lockets, while poodles feature textured confetti clay or separate legs. Pugs have distinctive wrinkled faces and sometimes glass eyes, and greyhounds are leaner figures often paired with hares.

When were these ceramic dogs made?

The pieces recorded here date primarily from the Victorian era, spanning the mid to late nineteenth century. Specific dates in the archive range from around eighteen sixty to eighteen eighty.

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Staffordshire Pottery Dogs

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Staffordshire pottery dogs are Victorian mantelpiece figures modelled as spaniels, poodles, greyhounds and pugs that bring quintessential period charm to a room.