FIVE DOULTON LAMBETH STONEWARE MICE GROUPS BY GEORGE TINWORTH

During his career at Doulton Lambeth Tinworth was much celebrated for his religious works, mainly produced in terracotta. It was only as a pass-time and for personal enjoyment that he started creating anthropomorphic group models of mice and frogs, which became increasingly popular and very collectable by the late 1880s. The themes and titles portrayed in his groups related to personal autobiographical episodes from his life and potential social views. For example the ‘Play-goers’ (see lot 36), modelled as mice watching a Punch and Judy show, is based on a childhood memory referred to in his autobiography. For a discussion of these groups see, Brian Coleman, The Best of British Arts & Crafts, Pennsylvania, 2004, pp. 34-35.