Pair of Large Antique Staffordshire Pottery King Charles Spaniels

This handsome pair of large King Charles Spaniel sculptural figures features white bodies, random golden spots, golden collars with locks and leads, sienna-colored snouts and eyeballs, black paws and eyelashes and pupils. The figures are fully rounded and are hollow with a kiln-hole in each of their backs, and with light age crazing in the glaze. Such characteristics are evidence of authenticity, place of origin, and age. They were produced in the Staffordshire Potteries region of England around 1850-1860. They are in good condition, with typical signs of age wear and areas of slight fading as you can see in the photographs, but with no cracks, hairlines, or chips. The measurements listed above are for one of the dogs.

These spaniels are classic19th-century, Victorian-era home ornaments, and were especially popular as fireplace mantel figures. They reflect British Royal taste, the rising economic power of the new industrial middle class, and the National love of dogs. They were hand-painted by factory artisans from the local area around the Potteries, which gives the dogs a naïve, comforting, folk-art appeal.