The pieces come from the collection of Hugh Antony Ben (HAB) Turner, author of the definitive 1971 Collector's Guide to Staffordshire Pottery Figures and one of the leading authorities on the subject during the 20th century. Turner died in 1995, and the collection has been consigned for sale by his daughter, Elizabeth Prentice, who is downsizing from her home in High Wycombe.
Elizabeth grew up surrounded by the figures: "I was a child when he started collecting in the 1960s and I remember them being everywhere. He was always having to put up more shelves to accommodate them all."
The collection is particularly strong on rare Welsh Staffordshire, gathered while the family lived in the Conway Valley and later Herefordshire. Turner's engineering background drew him to the technical side of how the figures were made, and he picked up many pieces locally.
What's in the sales?
The first sale, on 15 May, features the iconic Staffordshire spaniel, one of the pieces driving a new wave of interest among younger buyers. A 36cm white and gilt spaniel dated 1890 carries a guide price of £40-£50. Two rare Scottish pottery pig money boxes (1890-1900) are estimated at £60-£80, and a pair of Staffordshire zebras from around 1860, which appear in Turner's own book, are guided at £60-£70.
The second sale, on 4 June, includes a rare portrait figure of fictional Welsh lovers Edward Morgan and Jenny Jones, dating from 1850 and described by Turner himself as a "rare group". It carries an estimate of £100-£120. A solitary figure of Jenny Jones in Welsh apron and hat is guided at £200-£250, while a group of Welsh shepherds of the same date is expected to fetch £60-£80. The sale also includes a copy of Turner's guide, with a handwritten dedication to Elizabeth dated 1971, estimated at £20-£30.
A new generation of fans
Staffordshire pottery figures were produced mainly between 1740 and 1900 by small potteries across England. Victorian "flatback" figures, designed to sit on a shelf or mantlepiece, are among the most recognisable. Pairs of ceramic Staffordshire dogs, once a staple of the Victorian home, are currently enjoying a revival thanks to interest on TikTok and Instagram.
Hansons' ceramics expert Gill Finney said: "We are seeing growing popularity among a new generation of collectors and interior designers attracted to Staffordshire's charm. Collecting peaked between the late 1970s and the 1990s, a golden era when enthusiasts built extensive private collections like this one."
Elizabeth says she will be sad to see them go. "They were pride of place in my Welsh dresser, but I am downsizing and don't have room anymore. I am keeping a small collection of Staffordshire cats, because I like cats."
Both sales take place at Hansons' Derbyshire Saleroom. Bidding is available online via hansonslive.co.uk and the-saleroom.com.
Source: hansonsauctioneers.co.uk
