Collecting Antique Staffordshire Pottery Dandy Figure Groups:

"Dandies" were the self made men of the 18th/early 19th century that often came from middle class backgrounds, their self importance was to imitate aristocracy and they paid great attention to their dress and appearance. Their fashion was refined, it was important to have the right cut of attire with only the waistcoat displaying lavish embroidery and design, the right colour gloves, their bodies were perfumed and powdered, immaculately bathed and shaved with starched linen shirts and elaborately knotted cravats..... A fictional "dandy" of today would be Hercule Poirot the Agatha Christie detective character.
From the Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. 1989. http://dictionary.oed.com. "dandy" One who studies above everything to dress elegantly and fashionably; The female equivalent were "dandyess" or "dandizette" she is a person of beautiful dress and refined speech. Together these two figures gave potters a wonderful subject allowing the working classes have them sitting on their shelves to look at in wonder, but by the end of the 19th century names were changing and the Americans were now "Dudes".
From the Oxford University Press. 1989. "dude", U.S. A name given in ridicule to a man affecting an exaggerated fastidiousness in dress, speech, and deportment, and very particular about what is æsthetically 'good form'; hence, extended to an exquisite, a dandy, 'a swell'."

Looking back through our exhibition show years we made the acquaintance of two friends that lived on Exmoor, South West England, in a small farmhouse at the bottom of a valley where spring water needed to be pumped for basic needs. Entering the house via the kitchen we were taken aback how original the house was inside, Georgian green walls, open fire, flagstone floors with traditional Windsor chairs and table upon which sat a plate of mince pies covered with a tea towel. We sampled the mince pies with a cup of tea and chatted for a while before being taken into the sitting room of the house were we sat stroking dogs, still keeping our outside coats on as this was deep winter and it can be bleak on Exmoor at that time of year. After pleasant conversation and glances at a miniature pottery collection we were taken up stairs to a long hall way where lights were switched on to reveal the most fabulous collection of enamel painted earthenware figure groups of all categories. We made our way down the passageway where alcoves of social comment groups including bull-baiting groups, bocage, figures of people & animals were all packed on shelves. Then we were asked to step into a bedroom were the younger of the two ladies kept her part of the collection ...to our wonder she had allowed us to see the Dandies room.
The ladies were Miss Cyllene Reed and her companion Miss Beatrice Fitt who between them had compiled a fabulous collection that was bequeathed to the National Trust.It was later sold under protest through Lawrences of Taunton on the 15th February 2000, the ladies wishes not upheld. The auctioneer at the saleroom was the well-established Nic Saintey who is now with fine art auctioneers Bearnes in Exeter.
The Reed-Fitt ladies had visited our Bath antiques fair exhibition venue regularly and purchased a few nice things in pot to add to their collection, their "Dandies" came in all shapes and sizes from large to tiny small versions.

Illustrated below are "Dandies" with enamel painted decoration, antique British pottery circa 1810-35...Photos are from the archive Ginns collection & with special thanks to L.& J.Russell for allowing us to delve into their past sales photo archive.