A Staffordshire Figure of Queen Victoria, porcelain, circa 1841
This Staffordshire figure is modelled as Queen Victoria seated, holding the baby Princess Royal in her right arm. The Queen wears a crown over her parted black hair, which is gathered into a plaited bun at the back of her head. Her full-length dress is decorated with a pale apricot and underglaze blue, and she wears a green sash over her left shoulder and a stylised yellow flower at her waist. The tip of her black shoe can be seen peeking out from beneath the hem of her skirts. The baby princess wears a long gown with a gilt line at the hem, and a bonnet. The arms of the chair are decorated with gilt dots. A gilt line is applied to the front and sides of the base. Typical of Staffordshire porcelain figures of this type, the glazed base has a large circular air vent to allow gas to escape during the firing process.
Interestingly, the base of the figure is marked with an incised X. This mark was added when the figure was in its leather-hard clay state, prior to the first biscuit firing.
The Queen gave birth to her first child, Victoria, Princess Royal, on 21 November 1840. She was the heir presumptive until the birth of her younger brother, the future Edward VII. At the age of 17, she married Prince Frederick of Prussia, becoming German Empress consort and Queen consort of Prussia in 1888. Victoria was widowed when her husband died just 99 days after his accession. She herself died in 1901, the same year as her mother.
Condition: No damage or restoration. The figure is well-coloured and both of their faces are attractively painted. There is typical light wear to some of the gilt details, and a tiny flake to the black enamel at the back of Victoria’s head. There is some typical light crazing to the clear glaze. Minor anomalies from manufacture include a patch of kiln dust to the rear of the base, and also some transfer of the underglaze blue decoration. No restoration or overpainting.
Dimensions: Height 13.5 cm; Width (across the base) 6.5 cm
Ref. See Pugh for this figure with its companion (A130, Plate 24, Figures 65 & 66).
Staffordshire Portrait Figures of the Victorian Era, P.D. Gordon Pugh (Antique Collectors’ Club, 1988).