Anybody an expert on antiques?

[lexin]

This photo is of the item that my brother and I inherited from my mother and of which I'm the keeper.



Does anyone have any clue about what it might be or how old it is. It has no marks on the base at all, no marks that either my brother or myself have ever found. I've skated through a few antiques sites, and ebay, and never found anything like it.

Comments

[hunningham]

Looks like a staffordshire figurine? If I'm right value depends on rarity, but you're probably looking at about £100

A good place to get online valuations is www.valuemystuff.com

BTW, most valuable Staffordshire I ever saw was Protestent Martyrs Burning at the Stake - in white china. Truly hideous and very valuable.

[lexin]

A Staffordshire figure was someone else's thought, too, (on IJ) so that's very likely as it now has two votes. I didn't think it could be worth much.

The Protestant Martyrs thing sounds even more revolting than the figurine I've got.

[watervole]

My random brain said 'Coalport', but I'm no china expert and was totally guessing.

[lexin]

It could be; my parents were very fond of Coalport.

Found one candidate, if it's a saint

[pickledginger]

"St. Melangell, virgin, princess, daughter of Welsh (or Scottish) King.": http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_is_the_female_Catholic_saint_of_animals


Although she's apparently known more for bunnies: http://saintspreserved.com/Melangell.html

"In the early 7th Century, Melangell, the daughter of an Irish king, fled to a beautiful spot at the head of the Tanat Valley in Wales, where she lived a peaceful solitary life until the Prince of Powys went hunting, and a frightened hare took refuge under Melangell’s cloak. The Prince’s dogs were subdued and, deeply impressed, he gave her the valley to create a sanctuary. Ever since, Pennant Melangell has been a place of pilgrimage, and Melangell remains the patron saint of hares, rabbits, small animals, and the natural environment."

[pickledginger]

I wonder if there were fairy-tale or folkloric figurines. She hasn't a halo ...

[lexin]

I wondered that. On the whole, I think that she's probably not a saint. But I could be completely wrong about that.

[pickledginger]

http://www.archive.org/stream/catalogueofengli00victuoft/catalogueofengli00victuoft_djvu.txt


Of possible interest - seems to be a guide to English ceramics; I can't get a good look from here.

[lexin]

It's interesting, but I can't follow it properly - I'm not sure what it's telling me.