Staffordshire figures from the collection of one of the 20th century’s leading authorities on the style are going under the hammer in two upcoming sales at Hansons Auctioneers.
And with the iconic Victorian designs now a hit among Gen Z, the whimsical style will likely attract both established collectors and newbies.
The lovingly sourced pieces come from the collection of Hugh Antony Ben (HAB) Turner, author of the definitive guide A Collector’s Guide to Staffordshire Pottery Figures published in 1971.
Many of the figures, which have not been seen on the market for 60 years, appear in the within the pages of book.
The first sale on May 15 includes figures of the iconic Staffordshire spaniel – one of the pieces fuelling the new demand.
The collection has been consigned for sale by Antony Turner’s daughter, Elizabeth Prentice from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire who inherited it after her father died in 1995, aged 71.
She remembers a childhood growing up surrounded by the iconic pottery style.
She said: “I was a child when he started collecting it in the 1960s and I remember the figures being everywhere, he was always having to put more shelves to accommodate them all.”
The collection is particularly strong on rare Welsh Staffordshire acquired when the family was living in the Conway Valley and later Herefordshire.
Elizabeth continued: “Dad was an engineer and fascinated by the technical side of how Staffordshire figures were made. He picked up pieces locally which is why there are so many rare Welsh examples.”
Part two of the collection, which goes on sale on June 4 includes a rare portrait figure of the fictional Welsh lovers Edward Morgan and Jenny Jones dating from 1850.
The pair was the subject of a popular 19th-century ballad about a well-travelled sailor who yearned to return to Llangollen to marry his Welsh sweetheart.
The 24cm high figure, expected to sell for £100-£120, appears in Turner’s guide in which he describes them as a “rare group”.
A solitary figure of Jenny Jones in Welsh apron and hat, dated 1850, has an estimate of £200-£250, while a group of Welsh shepherds of the same date is expected to fetch £60-£80.
Others in the collection such as a figure of Red Riding Hood and a stag with a fawn were given to Elizabeth as presents from her parents.
Staffordshire figures are a type of popular pottery figurine made in England from the 18th century onwards.
Most were made from 1740 to 1900 and produced by small potteries with makers’ marks are generally absent.
Most Victorian figures (1837 to 1900) were designed to stand on a shelf or mantlepiece and are therefore only modelled and decorated where visible from the front and sides. These are known as ‘flatbacks’.
Pairs of Staffordshire ceramic dogs, once common place in Victorian homes, are having a sudden resurgence thanks to their popularity on TikTok and Instagram.
Hansons Auctioneer’s ceramics expert, Gill Finney, said: “We are seeing growing popularity among a new generation of collectors and interior designers attracted to Staffordshire’s charm.”
A 36cm tall white and gilt spaniel with glass eyes and black painted brows, dated 1890, has a guide price of £40-£50 in May’s sale.
Two rare Scottish pottery money boxes modelled as pigs, dated 1890-1900, have an estimate of £60-£80, while a pair of Staffordshire zebras, c. 1860, which features in Turner’s book, has a guide price £60-£70.
As well as animals and portraits, newsworthy figures of the day also became the potters’subjects.
The second part of the collection includes a figure of Omer Pacha the commander of the Turkish army in the Crimean War. It has an estimate of £60-£100 with a figure of two Turkish soldiers outside a mosque guided at the same price.
Gill Finney continued: “Collecting Staffordshire figures peaked between the late 1970s and the 1990s, a golden era when enthusiasts built extensive private collections, like this one.”
Hansons Auctioneers has been at the forefront of the resurgence of the style having handled collections of national and international importance, including those of the late Dennis Silk CBE, the late Stephen Duckworth, the late John McDowell, the late Timothy Manderson and the late John Parrot.
Elizabeth Prentice said: “I 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 for them anymore. I am keeping a small collection of Staffordshire cats – because I like cats.”
June’s sale also includes copy of HAB Turner’s guide with a handwritten dedication to his daughter Elizabeth, dated 1971. The book is expected to make £20-£30.
Auction Details
Auction: Derby May Three-Day Antiques & Collectors Auction: including Silver, Jewellery & Watches
Auction date: 14th – 18th May 2026 | 10am
Location: Hansons’ Derbyshire Saleroom
Auction contact: [email protected]
Catalogue/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com
