Definitive Staffordshire collector reference by P.D. Gordon Pugh with 900 photos and 62 color plates.
Collector’s Note
Among collectors of Victorian Staffordshire figures, few books carry the authority and reputation of Staffordshire Portrait Figures of the Victorian Era by P.D. Gordon Pugh. Affectionately known simply as "Pugh," this landmark reference has long been considered the definitive guide to Staffordshire portrait figures and is often described as the "Bible" of Staffordshire collecting.
First published in 1970, Pugh's work filled a longstanding need among collectors by documenting the approximately 1,500 portrait figures produced during the nineteenth century. More than a catalog, the book preserves an extraordinary visual record of the personalities, events, military heroes, political leaders, royalty, entertainers, and social movements that shaped Victorian Britain.
For collectors, dealers, museums, and researchers, Pugh remains one of the most important reference books ever published on Staffordshire figures.
This substantial reference work, Staffordshire Portrait Figures of the Victorian Era and Allied Subjects, was written by renowned collector and scholar P.D. Gordon Pugh and published by the Antique Collectors' Club of Woodbridge, England.
This copy is the Revised Second Edition, reprinted in 1988, incorporating corrections, additions, updated photography, and a redesigned layout that places text, captions, and illustrations in closer proximity for easier reference and identification.
Containing 558 pages, the volume provides an extensive photographic catalog of Victorian Staffordshire portrait figures and related subjects, making it one of the most comprehensive resources ever assembled on the subject.
Highlights include:
- Approximately 900 black-and-white photographs
- 62 color plates
- Extensive coverage of portrait figures and allied Staffordshire subjects
- Definitive reference numbering system used by collectors and dealers
- Index of figure subjects
- General index
- Bibliography
- Identification and attribution guidance
- Discussions of fakes, reproductions, restorations, and repairs
Particularly notable are the specially commissioned color photographs drawn from the collection housed at the City Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, where much of Pugh's remarkable collection was preserved.
The volume serves not only as a visual catalog but also as an important tool for authentication. Collectors continue to rely upon it when identifying scarce figures, evaluating condition, and distinguishing original Victorian examples from later reproductions.
Whether you are building a Staffordshire collection, researching a specific figure, or seeking the standard reference used by generations of collectors, this book remains an indispensable addition to any ceramic reference library.
Historical Note
Victorian Staffordshire figures offer a unique visual record of nineteenth-century popular culture. Produced by potteries throughout the Staffordshire Potteries district, these figures celebrated royalty, military heroes, political reformers, actors, religious leaders, sporting figures, and major historical events.
Pugh's catalog documents how Staffordshire potters rapidly responded to public demand, creating ceramic portraits of contemporary celebrities and historical figures that were sold to ordinary households throughout Britain and beyond. As a result, the book serves not only as a collector guide but also as a fascinating study of Victorian social history.
Condition: Royal blue cloth hardcover with gilt lettering in near mint condition. The interior is clean, bright, and tightly bound. Original dust jacket is present and likewise in near mint condition, displaying only minor evidence of handling and remnants of the original retail price label on the rear panel.
An exceptionally well-preserved example of one of the most important Staffordshire collector references ever published.
Author Biography
Patterson David Gordon Pugh (1920–1993) was a distinguished orthopedic surgeon, Surgeon Rear-Admiral in the Royal Navy, and one of the twentieth century's foremost authorities on Staffordshire portrait figures.bEducated at Lancing College, Jesus College Cambridge, and Middlesex Hospital Medical School, Pugh enjoyed a distinguished medical and naval career while simultaneously building one of the most important collections of Staffordshire figures ever assembled.
Over several decades he accumulated more than 5,000 Staffordshire portrait figures, creating a collection that became internationally recognized among collectors and scholars. In 1970, much of the collection was placed on loan to the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke-on-Trent and was later acquired by the museum. His research culminated in Staffordshire Portrait Figures of the Victorian Era.
Browse the Biographies & Reference Books for additional resources on Staffordshire, pottery, antique ceramics and Victorian decorative arts. The A signed first edition copy of Victorian Staffordshire Figure by Anthony Oliver is also available in a separate listing.
