Prattware
Griffin figure.
The
Griffin, Griffon or Gryphon. A legendary creature
whose body is a lion and his head and wings
of a bird. (probably an eagle). The king of
the jungle and a powerful bird became a symbol
of majestic power. They partnered for life
but in legend an off spring of this mythical
creature was also know as a hippogriff or
hypogryph. This was the body of a horse and
the front of a powerful eagle it lived far
beyond the seas in the Rhiplean mountains
and it was said to have" Moved through
the air at wondrous speed".......To give
him a more modern explanation see Harry Potter"
Prisoner of Azkaban" fans of this film
will know this beastie:
This
chamber stick or candle holder where the tail
of the creature forms the handle is in English
Pratt ware circa 1790 and is representing
one of the most mixed up creatures passed
down through folk legend. In British heraldry
the griffin would be shown without wings and
he stood for courage and boldness. A wonderful
figure of mythical splendour as this early
figure shows.
Provenance
from the Ray and Diane Ginns collection 2004
Early
Pratt Ware is: Under the glaze colours typically
of orange, green, cobalt blue and brown and
the name Pratt comes from a family of Staffordshire
potters working at the end of the 18th - early
19th century. A good book to read on this
subject is: Pratt Ware 1780-1840. Author John
& Griselda Lewis (3rd Revised Edition,
2005)
