Rare Antique Pair Staffordshire Pottery Figures Blackheath Golfers English C1920
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:18444363 | Period: 1920s |
| Type: Statues | Material: Staffordshire Pottery |
| Sport: Golf | Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom |
Arare and unusual pair of Staffordshire pearlware pottery figurines representingthe “Blackheath Golfers”. These derive from celebrated original 1778 paintingby Lemuel Francis Abbott (1760-1802). Abbott’s famous double portrait was firstpublished as a mezzotint by Valentine Green in 1790 and is one of the firstgolfing portraits ever published (see second photo (not included in with this item)). Few copies of the original mezzotint survive, and it is now usually seen only in later ...reproductions. According to differentaccounts, the original oil painting was either destroyed in an 18th centuryfire or during the Indian Mutiny of 1857. Abbot’s picture shows ascene on Blackheath golf course and was dedicated “To the Society of Goffers atBlackheath”. The portraits are those of William Innes (1719-1795) (in the reduniform of the Royal Blackheath Golf Club) and his unnamed caddie (who wearsthe blue uniform of a pensioner from the nearby Royal Naval Hospital atGreenwich (and has a large bottle of rum in his waistcoat pocket)). Innes was theson of an Edinburgh banker; as a wealthy merchant he came to live in London inthe 1740’s and served as MP for Ilchester in the 1770’s. Along with otherScottish “emigres” he played golf at Blackheath where a club had been foundedduring the reign of James VI of Scotland/James I of England when the king tookup residence at Greenwich Palace in the early 17th Century. These two figures inpearlware pottery are certainly English and were probably made by one of the Staffordshirepotteries. They date to the 1920’s when there was much renewed interest in thehistory of golf and golfing memorabilia. The sculpting has all the character normallyassociated with Staffordshire figurines whilst being a very fine three-dimensionalinterpretation of the figures in Lemuel Abbott’s portrait. SizeInnes (in red) 19.5 cmhigh – plinth 6.3 cm x 6.3 cmCaddie (in blue) 18.5 cmhigh – plinth 6.5 cm x 6.8 cm ConditionVerygood condition. No chips, cracks or repairs. Minor wear commensurate with age.Usual fine cracklature commensurate with age. Minor mark to the front right ofthe plinth of the William Innes figurine (in red) – possibly a manufacturing faultand only mentioned for good order. ProvenancePrivateCollection UK
PLEASE SEE PHOTOS
PLEASE SEE PHOTOS
