Mirth and Mayhem: Staffordshire Figures 1810-1835

November 18, 2006 - April 29, 2007

The Mint Museum of Art

Selections from the private collection of Winston-Salem, NC resident Myrna Schkolne create this exhibition of 19th century Staffordshire figures. In a departure from the classical design of the day, these figures depict everyday life - the humorous, the sentimental, the pious and the sensational. Primarily manufactured in small potteries, each figure tells a story of its time - a glimpse into a world long past delightfully recreated in pottery.

Related Sources in the Mint Museum Library

• Halfpenny, Pat. English Earthenware Figures 1740-1840. Suffolk: Antique Collector's Club, 1991. Written by the Keeper of Ceramics at the City Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, this title has become the standard reference on these figures. Filled with illustrated examples, it is an essential resource.
• Hall, John. Staffordshire Portrait Figures. New York: World Publishing Company, 1972. A short but informative reference presented chronologically with excellent color plates of the figures. Can you spot the ones that also appear in the exhibition?
• Schkolne, Myrna. People, Passions, Pastimes and Pleasures: Staffordshire Figures 1810-1835. Winston-Salem, NC: Hot Lane Press, 2006. The beautifully and extensively illustrated book of Ms. Schkolne's collection. Over 332 images of the Staffordshire figures she has garnered.

Internet Resources

• Staffordshire.org - For the Staffordshire figure enthusiast! This informative and helpful website provides links to articles, a searchable gallery of figure images, news and events (Yes, this exhibition is listed!), an excellent bibliography of print resources, and much more. Well worth a visit!
• How to Speak English Ceramics This site from Brown University provides an online version of this glossary by Jonathan Rickard first published by Maine Antiques Digest in 1992. It contains definitions for such terms as "bocage."

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