Topic: Does anyone know what this mark is?

[adehuxley]

I have a very old pair of Staffordshire mantle dogs. I have never seen this mark before, does anyone recognise it. Adrian

[Tigerchips]

Genuine Staffordshire dogs aren't usually marked, can we see a pic of the dogs please?

[adehuxley]

Hi, pic of dogs as requested, Adrian

[Anne]

Adrian, what's the base like? Can we see a pic of a whole base please?

[adehuxley]

I will take a pic of the base and send it, thanks for looking, Ade

[Tigerchips]

Hi, I found these two dogs which look the same...

Reproduction Stafforshire dogs

[adehuxley]

Hi, I agree they are similar but they are obviously new. Mine are old, they have all the characteristics that makes it obvious. Adrian

[Anne]

Ooerr, TC, they do look the same don't they - they have such lovely faces.

Adrian, when you say yours have all the look of being old, can you tell us what you're seeing please?  Repros have been made for many years, a great number of them dating from the 1920s/1930s so they'd still look old, but not as old as the old, old ones if you get my meaning.

Is there crazing in the glaze? Is is dark and even or is it variable in colour and density?

The fact that yours are marked worries me as none of the early Staffordshire dog makers marked theirs, (but makers such as Bow and Derby who made similar items did mark them.)

[adehuxley]

Hi Anne,
I understand what you are saying and its correct. I am from Stoke originally and have been around pottery all my life so I do know something of the diffference between repro and old. These have irregular crazing to the glaze and they are also rather grubby, the kind of patina that comes with age. The guilding especially is a good indicator because it is so obviously old. If I shine a light through the hole in the base I can see that the interior is also grubby, some repros are obvious because the inside is clearly newer than the piece pretends to be. Hey ho, maybe it is meant to be a mystery. Have a good day, Adrian

[Anne]

Hi Adrian, I meant to ask - how big is the hole in the bottom? 

Sometimes it takes a good while to solve mysteries but we never give up looking - stick with us and one day we'll find the answer.     It's taken us 3 or more years to solve some questions over on the Glass Message Board but we've done so.   

[adehuxley]

Hi Anne, the hole in the bottom is small, about 4 mm across, Ade

[Sue C]

Tony is right, staffordshire potteries never marked their models, BUT!! Bow and Derby made similar models and they did mark their hand moulded dogs.
See this article  http://georgiaantiques.com/The_Educated_Collector/articles/11-2004-THOSE_CHARMING_STAFFORDSHIRE_DOGS.htm

[adehuxley]

Thankyou for that, Adrian