What is a flatback figure?

A flatback figure has a fully modelled and painted front with a flat, plain reverse side. This allowed makers to save on clay and kiln space while ensuring the piece sat neatly against a wall. These objects were specifically designed for display on high mantelpieces where only the front view mattered to the viewer.

How were spill vases used?

Spill vases incorporated a hollow cylindrical holder alongside the main ceramic group to store thin paper or wooden spill lights. Households used these tapers to transfer flames from the hearth to candles or lamps. They combine the decorative appeal of a portrait or animal group with a practical household accessory.

What subjects do these figures show?

The subjects range from domestic animals like poodles, cows, and stags to historical royalty, literary characters, and military alliances. Makers drew inspiration from current events, Scottish folklore, and popular stories of the day. Pairs of animals and allegorical groups such as the Band of Hope formed staples of nineteenth-century home decoration.

Are these pieces made of porcelain?

These items consist of earthenware rather than porcelain or bone china, utilising a heavier and more porous ceramic body. Potters coated this clay body in a glossy lead glaze before applying enamel colours. This material choice suited the utilitarian folk art methods of nineteenth-century Staffordshire potteries.