The Mander and Mitchenson Collection has over five hundred pieces of theatrical ceramics; these range through statuary of all sizes to plates, jugs and tiles. Ray Mander and Joe Mitchenson were relentless in their pursuit of accuracy and in many cases they were able to identify the actors on whom the figures were based by scrutinizing old engravings and paintings. Most of the figures are from the nineteenth century, but such famous twentieth century modelers as Agatha Walker and Peggy Foy are well represented. We only have space here to show you a very few of the hundreds of fascinating pieces. At present, the pottery collection is not accessible.
| A Staffordshire figure of the famous animal trainer, Isaac Van Amburgh, showing him with two lions and a leopard on his shoulders. The figure was made around 1839. |
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| A Staffordshire figure of Edward Askew Sothern who created the part of Lord Dunareary in OUR AMERICAN COUSIN by Tom Taylor at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 1861. The figure was probably made around that time from a photograph by Bassano. |
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A Bloor Derby figure of David Garrick as Richard III, modelled by John Bacon from an engraving by John Dixon after a painting by Nathaniel Dance. The figure was made around 1820. |
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An Austrian pottery figure,
made around 1887, of the great Music Hall performer Albert Chevalier
as The Coster in THE COSTER’S SERENADE. |
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A Staffordshire vase or spill-holder of Frederick Robinson and Jenny Marson as Florizel and Perdita in THE WINTER’S TALE. This was the first theatrical Staffordshire figure to enter the Mander and Mitchenson Collection. |
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