Artabanes
This is a theatrical figure representing an actor in the role of Artabanes, from the opera Artaxerxes. The figure stands 11 3/4” tall, dates to approximately 1830-1840, and is very rare. There is a dagger in his right hand, part of the blade being hidden beneath his sash. The interior and the edging of his coat are fully lined with ermine.
Artaxerxes was an opera by Thomas Arne, originally performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, in 1762. It continued through the late 1830s. There is some uncertainty regarding who the actor was in the 1830s, therefore whom our Figure of the Month represents. Anthony Oliver, in his book “Staffordshire Pottery, the Tribal Art of England”, page 118, shows a similar figure and speculates that the actor may have been “Mr. Wood”. Harding in his “Victorian Staffordshire Figures, Book One”, page 336, shows a similar figure and suggests the actor was either “Mr. Wood or Mr. Sinclair”. In the ”Second Addendum of Victorian Staffordshire Figures”, page 91, Harding shows another similar figure without referencing the actual actor. Pugh shows yet another similar figure on page 447 of his “Staffordshire Portrait Figures”, referring to it as a “Male Middle Eastern Musician”, without reference to the actor. Interestingly, all of the recorded figures differ substantially from our figure of the month, and some of these figures have an impressed mark “Lloyd Shelton”.
More Figures of the month
Queen Victoria
This is a rare Staffordshire figure of Queen Victoria, standing 8 3/4” tall and dating to approximately 1855. The Queen stands holding the staff of a flag in her left hand and a scroll in her right hand.
Victor Emmanuel II
This is a rare Staffordshire military figure of Victor Emmanuel II, standing 17” tall, dating to approximately 1855. It is titled in gold, raised capital letters, “KING OF SARDINIA”.
Dr Dulcamara and Adina
This is a rare pair of Staffordshire theatrical figures, standing 8 ½” tall and dating to approximately 1848. The male character represents Dr Dulcamara, as portrayed by Luigi Lablache, in Donizetti’s comedic melodrama L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love). The female actress, playing the role of Adina, is unidentified.
John Liston
This is an early Staffordshire figure of the actor John Liston, portraying the role of Van Dunder in the play ‘Twould Puzzle a Conjuror’ or ‘The Two Peters’, by John Poole.
Robert Raikes
This is a very rare Staffordshire bust of Robert Raikes, an Anglican layman and English philanthropist. The figure is titled in gilt script as “Founder of the Sunday School”, but it would be more accurate to say he was a pioneer, or promoter, of Sunday Schools.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
This is a rare Staffordshire figure of a woman seated on a couch, with her dog beside her. It is generally believed to represent Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and her dog Flush. This figure stands about 5 ¼” tall and dates to approximately 1846-1850.
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