Antique Staffordshire Spaniel Mantel Dogs with Glass Eyes, Near Pair

A pair of Staffordshire dogs brings instant warmth and a touch of tradition to a mantelpiece, and this handsome couple has character to spare. Modelled as seated spaniels in creamy white, they gaze out with bright glass eyes and softly hand painted faces, their curled coats and gilded collars and chains picked out by hand as these much loved mantel dogs always were. They face outward as a mirrored near pair, made to sit either side of a fireplace just as their Victorian ancestors did. As a near pair they are companions rather than identical twins, and one is a touch whiter than the other, the natural result of two dogs made and fired separately, which is part of their honest, gathered charm.

Each stands 28 x 23 x 9 cm, a good, generous size with real presence, and the flat backs confirm their original purpose as mantelpiece dogs. They carry their age honestly. The gilding has mellowed and worn over the years, and there are a few small hairline cracks, all shown clearly in the photographs, the marks of a near pair that has decorated homes for generations. The glass eyes, a feature of the earlier and more desirable dogs, are bright and intact, and the painted faces are full of expression.

Staffordshire spaniels have been made in the English potteries for close to two centuries and remain one of the most collected and instantly recognisable pieces of English pottery. A facing near pair with glass eyes is a lovely and characterful thing to find.

Set them at either end of a mantel or shelf as they were meant to be shown, flank a stack of books or a clock, or stand them on a dresser or console for a hit of country house character. They suit a traditional interior and bring charm and a little humour to a modern one, sitting happily against painted walls, wood and other vintage ceramics. A characterful near pair to keep or to give, and a lovely piece of English pottery history to own.