This is a very attractive and harder-to-find Victorian Staffordshire figurine, which dates to about the 1870s.
It is a genuine 19th Century example and in antique damage-free condition. There is a little speck of kiln detritus on the back of his hat and some craquelure on the white areas of his hat and face - again as photographed.
It is a spill vase - which you would have put on your mantlepiece or in the kitchen and you would have popped long tapers or spills to light lamps and fires etc into. The spill container takes the form of a tree stump to the left-hand side - and which is painted with a bright orange interior. The spread of spills would have resembled the branches of the tree when on display.
This one is a rarer subject and it is certainly an exceptionally large one coming in at 14 1/2 inches in height (to the top of his feather).
The spill vase shows a gamekeeper dressed in his rather dapper Scottish country attire. The gamekeeper stands resting his foot on a mossy bank. He wears a large hat with long pink feather plumes in it. He wears a cobalt blue jacket - and a long orange cloak trimmed on the collar with a black and white fur. He wears a plaid kilt and wears very dapper black and yellow knee-high boots.
He carries a shotgun - which he rests in the crook of his arm - the gun is amazingly whole with no restoration.
I just adore the gamekeeper's hound dog who has just gone out and retrieved his game bird which lies at his master's feet. He jumps up for attention and to be told he is a good boy and congratulated on bringing back the bird.
A similar piece is the illustrated figure 1823/1824, page 56, Schiffer''s ''Victorian Staffordshire Figures 1835-1875'' Book 2, by A.& N. Harding.
It is apparently undamaged condition - and looks quite stunning on display. Probably given its subject matter - an item that might look better in a Highland lodge house - or specialist field dealers shop.
The modelling on his figurine is certainly very crisp and detailed - and it is probably an early model taken from the mould before use has taken away the crispness of all the features that you might find in later pieces. The applied colours are all lovely and bright.
Overall height is 14 1/2 inches - with a width of 8 inches and a depth of about 4 3/4 inches.
Weight unpacked is just under 2 kg.
UK Postage Only. It will be sent to you with Parcelforce48 tracked and recorded - this will cost £10 and it will be applied to the order at checkout.