Staffordshire Ornaments...
Recreating the Staffordshire style...
Although the Staffordshire area became the main place for pottery production in the United Kingdom in the 1700-1800's pottery had been produced there for centuries. An abundance of clay, coal, lead and salt in the area meant the resources needed were on the doorstep.
At the height of production there were hundreds of manufacturers producing all types of pottery in Staffordshire. Famously, Wedgewood, Doulton, Aynsley, Minton and Spode all came from these humble beginnings.
During the 17th century the opening of better roads and the canal system allowed the potteries to receive raw materials from all over the country and to transport their goods more easily. The local potters had easy access to red clay but they began to favour the fine, white clay they could bring in from Devon, Cornwall and Dorset.
The labourers in the Staffordshire potteries came from England's working classes and often worked 12 hour days, 6 days a week. The skilled pottery painters (usually men) worked on the finer pottery and porcelain whilst the unskilled women and children painted Staffordshire figurines.
In the late 1830's heightened demand for the pieces and a need to cut production costs lead to the birth of the Staffordshire flatback. These flatbacks were made using either a three-piece press mould (front, back and base) or slip casting and then fired in ovens powered by local coal. A process of glazing and firing would then begin, several times, until the figures were ready for painting. Early flatback figures were small and decorated all round. This changed in the 1850's when they became much bigger and the back was left unmodelled and undecorated - hence the name flatback. The figures were often placed against a wall, on a high shelf or fire place, and not viewed from the back. Therefore there was no need to decorate them and they were often called 'chimney ornaments' because of this.
To try to recreate the art of Staffordshire pottery making we have a selection of hand painted ornaments. These include the traditional dogs, a shepherd and shepherdess pair in the flatback style and the more unusual seated cats. We have added our own personal touch to the decoration to make them more attractive for the miniature collector. The dogs are available in 12th and 24th scale painted in black, brown or copper. The flatbacks are available in both 12th and 24th scale and the cats are available in 12th scale.
