REIRAMIC STUDIO 
2 K 
important statuette of an actor, 6 inches high, rich in coloring possesses a charm quite peculiar to itself; it is in the Willett 
and most quaint in its conception. collection. Another fine example is a group known as 
The Willett collection is also rich in the marbled figures. "Roman Charity," in the author's possession, consisting of a 
No. 888 in the catalogue represents a series of no less than 14; seated figure of a woman with two children and a man, evi- 
dently a chained captive; he is receiving food proffered by the 
woman; on a rock is inscribed the title, "Roman Charity;" 
seven inches in height; for softness of glaze and lovely green- 
ish brown coloring this piece has not often been surpassed. 
The statuette of Milton, fourteen inches high, is another im- 
portant piece of work in tortoise-shell decoration, not al- 
together perfect in its anatomy but in glaze and finish a most 
attractive figure. So also is the "Market Girl," a figure nine 
inches high with basket of fruit on her left arm, a stick in her 
right hand and a small dog for her companion. Most of the 
tortoise-shell figures are devoid of strong, gaudy coloring, 
nearly all are well modelled and all are coveted by collectors. 
The name Ralph Wood, having been impressed upon cer- 
tain figures acknowledged by the authorities brings us to the 
less conjectural period of about 1730 and mention should 
first be made of his cleverly modelled and well known group 
of the Vicar and Moses in the pulpit, standing ten and one- 
half inches high. This interesting specimen, an excellent 
marked example of which may be seen in the British Museum, 
has been reproduced with less and less effect by succeeding 
generations of potters, it is colored in the subdued tortoise- 
shell and represents the Vicar asleep and the clerk with raised 
Bust of Milton, hy Ralph Wood, 9 in. high. 
they are about 4j4 inches high, each one playing upon a 
musical instrument and are described as " Nebuchadnessar's 
Band." Another quaint example is one of a lady and gentle- 
man on horseback, No. 1173, 8% inches high. The writer is 
fortunate in possessing in his collection several marbled statu- 
ettes, one being a "Merry Andrew" dancing, height 7 inches, 
with the decoration and base clearly indicating the mixture of 
two clays, beautifully colored and glazed in subdued browns; 
another a quaint representation of Diana with her dog, 8 
inches high, archaic in design and in coloring. The latter is 
very like marble, with the usual velvety glaze and eyes like 
beads. Another represents a gentleman in quaint costume, 
6}4 inches high. 
The so-called " Whieldon " School of Staffordshire Figures 
contains many beautiful examples both of tortoise-shell and 
other delicately colored specimens and includes such expo- 
nents as Whieldon and Ralph Wood. When the dealer meets 
with a figure of tortoise shell decoration, particularly if it bears 
the lovely delicate green shade into the browns and yellows, 
he is apt to attribute the specimen invariably to Whieldon. 
This is, however, not altogether correct, as other potters are 
believed to have carried out this peculiarly attractive style of 
decoration, which is always accompanied by an exquisite soft 
velvety glaze. An important specimen of the tortoise-shell 
class is the Figure of Alderman Beckford, illustrated in Pro- 
fessor Church's " English Earthenware," It is a striking ex- 
ample of the potter's art in glazing and subdued coloring and 
"S enus and Neptune, aseiiled to Ralph Wood, 103>- 2 and 11 }., in. high, a\ ith pedestal. 
hand beneath him apparently saying "Amen." Indented up- 
on the front panel of the pulpit is the title "The Vicar and 
Moses" and the name " Ra. Wood Burslem" appears clearly 
impressed upon the base. Other marked subjects by this pot- 
ter are The Sportsman, six and one half inches high, busts of 
Handel and Milton, all in the British Museum, figure of a 
man with a crutch, "Old Age," five and one-fourth inches high 
