Staffordshire dogs by Beswick Ware

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!