This is a highly collectable antique historical subject Staffordshire figurine.
It dates to around 1866 - when the gruesome murder of Thomas Smith took place and the subsequent trial of William Collier.
Modellers were always looking at such popular subjects to transform into figures for the Victorian marketplace - who seemed to love such shocking images and subjects.
It was based on a historical event that was widely discussed and covered in the press in the 1860s.
My figurine is a nice large size - with fantastic detailing and a fine selection of period colours.
It is in perfect condition with no damages - which is remarkable given that it is nearly 180 years old. I have taken lots of images for your inspection - please have a good look at them as they form part of my description.
It is a large figurine and measures: 13 inches in height and with a width of 7 1/2 inches at the widest point. There is a depth of 2 3/4 inches.
The subject of this figurine is certainly a most interesting and gruesome one. I just love these figures where there is a bit of a controversial history to the subject matter.
The figure shows the murder of Thomas Smith by William Collier.
Each man has a hand raised to the other's neck. Two dead game birds at their feet and a dog jumping up. The scene takes place underneath an arch of trees and floral decoration. It depicts the moment in the summer of 1866 when Thomas Smith caught neighbouring farmer William Collier poaching on his land. In the heat of the moment, Collier shot Smith then beat him to death with his rifle until the barrel broke.
Collier was living with his wife and family in a cottage. He had the reputation as a poacher supplementing his low income with game. He had many mouths to fill as there were seven children. Collier’s activities were well known and this frequently led to conflict. The struggle between poachers and landowners in the 19th century was often a violent one.
Collier was found guilty of murdering the landowner and sentenced to hang. At his execution, the hanging was bunged by the use of an old rope - which stretched and then fell from the beam. Collier fell to the ground and then managed to struggle to his feet, dazed and bloodied. Despite cries from the crowd who had some sympathy with Collier - it was decided to go and get another stronger rope and the ill-fated man was again put in a noose and subject to a second hanging. This did not go down well with the crowd and there were ugly scenes.
19th-century public hangings were notoriously rowdy affairs with the crowd often engaged in criminal activity. The writer, Charles Dickens spoke out against the antics of the mob after attending a public hanging in the 1850s He wrote:
“I was a witness of the execution at this morning. I believe the sight so inconceivably awful as the wickedness and levity of the crowd collected at that execution “.
Two years after Collier’s execution, parliament ended the practice of these public executions.
Another one of these figurines is in the collection of the Harris Museum and Art Gallery in Preston., and one is the the Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museum.
So a fine and much sought after Victorian model of museum quality and interest. My one is listed at a bargain price - other ones have much higher ticket prices with specialist antique dealers. So this is indeed a very fair one.
This figurine will be sent to you with Parcelforce48. It will be posted with with tracked and signed for postage to you. This will be charged at £10 and applied at checkout.