Victorian Vintage Matching Pair Staffordshire shops Dogs with duck in the mouth

A stunning pair of original vintage, ceramic Staffordshire dogs, both are in good order vintage condition (see photos). What makes this set so special is that they are two different types of breeds. One of the breeds is clearly a spaniel the other probably a labrador or some sort of hunting dog. At that time, dogs were widely used for hunting.


For generations, these kinds of dogs stood in front of the windows in port cities. They were taken in the nineteenth century by skippers who sailed on England. There they were made in the county of Staffordshire, the center of the pottery industry. They were sold en masse especially during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). Most of the dogs were, just like shops this couple, King Charles Spaniels, the same breed as the dog of Victoria. They were usually placed in front of the window as a couple. The idea behind it was that they were looking forward to the return of a beloved son or father from a trip at sea.The Victorian tale goes that spaniel figurines placed on the windowsill sent out a secret message. A woman would place the ornaments in her front window; if they were back to back, it meant her husband was at home. If the dogs faced each other, it meant her husband was out at sea, welcoming her lover in to the house.