Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian soldier and patriot who helped unify Italy. In 1864, he visited England and was welcomed with great enthusiasm. Garibaldi and his “red shirts” were heroes in the story of Italian independence, and at least 16 different figures of him were produced by Staffordshire potters.
This figure is 8.5 inches high and can be found in Pugh page C295, plate 98, figure 285.
Garibaldi takes the biscuit
Garibaldi received a rapturous reception in England in April 1864. It is said that never before in history had there been such a large spontaneous gathering as the one that cheered him through the streets of London. Aristocrats and politicians vied for the opportunity to host and dine with him, whilst the middle and working classes expressed their admiration for the General by adorning their walls and mantelpieces with his image.
As well as the Staffordshire figures, Garibaldi also appeared on plates, cups and tankards and his name was adopted by pubs and taverns across the country.
But perhaps the most English of accolades was made by a Bermondsey biscuit company, who created the Garibaldi biscuit, a sort of currant sandwich made of sweet pastry. 150 years later and you will still find the Garibaldi being dunked into cups of tea, though it continues to be much loathed by children, who rechristened it ‘the squashed fly biscuit’.
More Figures of the month
A pair of pointers
This is a rare pair of Staffordshire foxhounds, pointers, or game dogs. Whatever one decides to call them, they are an unusual and very fine pair.
Reverand Edward Meyrick Goulburn
This is a rare Staffordshire figure of the Reverand Edward Goulburn, standing approximately 11 1/2” tall and dating to about 1860.
Richard Cobden
This is a rare Staffordshire figure of Richard Cobden, the English politician, economist, and leader of the effort to abolish the Corn Laws in 1846.
Rare pair of camel figures
This is a rare, mirror image pair of Staffordshire camel figures. They are generally believed to represent Lady Hester Stanhope and her personal physician and companion Dr. Charles Lewis Meryon, though this attribution is not certain.
Pair of standing lions
This is a fine pair of Staffordshire lions standing on coloured bases. Each lion is approximately 10” tall and dates to about 1860. These figures may be found in Harding’s Book Two, page 259.
Rare figure of Victorian card playing
At first glance, this may appear to be an ordinary arbour figure. But upon closer inspection, one can see these three people are engaged in a game of cards.
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