Meet my new buddies, Will and Kate. They are small “Staffordshire” dogs made by Beswick aka Beswick Ware, of England.
I was up in Pittsfield for a meeting yesterday, and stopped quick (really!) by Ron’s Berkshire County Used Furniture to see what’s new and to snap some photos of vintage treasures. “Feed me!” the blog says. “Feed me!”
Saw this hat. With little chenille bumblebees! And it fit (I have a very big head, no snide comments, please)! Tried to wheedle Becky down from $3 to $2. She told me everything under $200 was half off. Whoopdee do.
Had seen these guys on the way in… admired them… and snapped their pic. At $125, they seemed like an extravagance, so I just kept on going. But at half-price — $62.50 — well, I could do that. Especially given the drought of estate sales here lately. Ants in my pants, and I need to dance! Thank the Retro Decorating Gods that I saw that hat!!!
I think the Prince and Princess-to-be are from the “modern era,” don’t you? Their colors are actually very downtown and glamorous — creamy white, black, gray and gold. They look great in my traditional-modern-kitschy living room, where I don’t have an overload of tschoskes (<- I looked up the spelling). Really.
I don’t know anything about Staffordshire or about Beswick…. I buy what appeals to me, not for *investment value*. But, I see on ebay, they look collectible, and I that didn’t overpay. There are a thousand or more Vintage Beswicks, with even more beautiful and rarish looking pieces in England, home of Beswick. Does anyone know about these? Collect some Staffordshire yourself? Woof!
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I have a fake pair of these on my fireplace, too, purchased at an auction. I know the real thing looks better, but a bargain price suits my lifestyle better. There’s always something else I want to buy!
Love how you named then “Will & Kate”. On the day Charles & Camilla got married, I was working in the Antique store and sold a pair of salt & pepper shakers that looked like a horse & a mule to a lady, and I asked her if she was commemorating the Royal wedding with the set.
Pam,
I have a pair of these dogs, that I gave to my grams many years ago in England. I bought them at Elys department store in Wimbledon. They are sitting in my office, unfortunately they got smashed in transit from England, they have been put back together. I can remember the day I bought them for her.
Enjoy your new treasures. Beswick is an old English company, they made many types of figurines, horses were one of there specialties, I have good collection of those.
My day has been ruined. Life sucks.
The Decorating Gods are NOT NOT NOT fair!
C’mon…you KNOW they are just the thing for MY mantle.
I am your only reader with the Sloane Ranger decor going on here.
Staffordshire Dogs just went to the top of my list.
You are so lucky.
I’ll give you $70….and a coffee…and maybe a Tammis scrub top.
now you make me want to hoard them even more. maybe, gavin. but, what is a tammis scrub top, please explain!
How easily you forget! Tammis Keefe Scrub as in I’ll make one for you.
And this is how these dogs came to fashion during the Reign of Victoria:
We are both middle class…you bought them…now I want them…now you want more.
History in a nut-shell. These were the status symbols of the 1860’s, prior to the Parian craze.
It’s allright. I’ll holdout for the LARGER ones. And so it goes….
Btw- Now that the invites are out: Miss Middleton should be addressed as Catherine.
I would name your dogs: “Wills & Thrills”, but if they lived here…they could be “Gavin & Stacey” !
oooooh, of course i remember the TK scrubs! you might have a deal, i have to think about it…
they ARE small. I put them on my mantle for a moment, but then took them down, they look better on a table top due to their size
Atlantaantiquegallery.com has these in a bigger size. they have a small one, a larger one and large pair. they are fabulous.
check them out.
Oh my gosh! It’s Gog and Magog!!
I’m re-reading all of the “Anne of Green Gables” books, and when she leaves home to go to school, she rents a home and falls in love with two ceramic/porcelain dogs that sit by the fireplace named Gog and Magog. It’s really funny – these match the description in the book almost perfectly! 😀
Dorky, I know, but made me smile!
“dorky” — that’s me too 4ever and always! 🙂
Haha, guess I’m not the only one who thought that!
* about Gog and Magog, not the dorky thing.
…and speaking of “kitchy” – I have a 2 1/2 ft wooden alligator sitting under a chair in my entry way. My friend buys and sell things from Indonisia – he brought me that alligator, with mouth slightly open, teeth showing and it “greets” my guests as they come in!! I LOVE your doggies!
oh my! snap!
We inherited a set when my inlaws passed away. They are not really our style right now so they are boxed away because they hold such sentimental value for my hubby. One day they may make an appearance. Have fun with them!
Are they flat on the back, or dimensional? I recognize them from my many hours of watching the BBC version of Cash in the Attic (where I learned to say “Bes-ick,” the “w” is silent).
dimensional!
Rechercher- I’m calling Jonty!
Flat-back would be quite early. These have really never stopped production, but due to the pristine condition, I would think they are from the 1980s.
They were extremely popular during the Thatcher years.
yay! vintage 1980s is now in my house!
Dogs, always getting into trouble, drinking from the inkwells again.
Those are strangely cool. Other than the odd black muzzles, I think it’s the eyebrows that make them different than run-of-the-mill porcelain figures.
Tut – Joan Crawford would be oh so proud of those eyebrows!
Yes, aren’t they endearing?
i was just going to add that they were painted by Liz Taylors’ makeup man!
Joan used a 9″ paint roller.
How Cute!
They remind me of Gog and Magog from Anne of the Island. I think that’s the right book, the one where she goes to college.
If they were a little bigger I would think they were of the same design!
After reading your comments I bid on a “modern era” doggie on eBay. I think he is a cousin of your two:-)
I have a pair of staffordshire dogs identical in appearance to those in your photo. The base has the number 1378-5, (gold letter a d or an o)
Beswick, England, about 7 1/2 ” tall. Can you please tell me if they are fake or real ? I purchased thr, at an antique shop mid 1980 and the woman swore they were reaĺ.
Hi Jane, I am not an expert… I bought mine because I liked how they looked!