Antique Staffordshire Bacchus Character Cup c.1850

This charming antique Staffordshire Bacchus cup is a fine example of mid‑19th‑century English figural pottery, modelled as the character head of Bacchus, the classical god of wine. Standing approximately 11 cm high, the cup is formed as a three‑dimensional head with pronounced features and a high level of hand‑worked detail typical of early Victorian Staffordshire work. The piece would sit attractively in any collection of character jugs, toby wares, or Staffordshire figures, and it displays beautifully from all angles.

The cup is moulded in the round as the bearded face of Bacchus with pointed ears and a mischievous, slightly smiling expression. His hair and beard are deeply modelled and richly glazed in a dark brown, contrasted by flesh‑toned enamels to the face and neck. Around the head runs a raised garland of grapes and vine leaves, picked out in translucent green and deep purple enamels that give a pleasing sense of depth and texture. The rim of the cup is banded in hand‑painted orange and cobalt blue, echoing the bold blue line around the circular foot and providing a strong visual frame to the modelling.

The substantial, scroll‑moulded handle at the back is glazed in a warm iron‑red, curling elegantly at the terminals and providing a comfortable grip. The interior is left a soft off‑white typical of early Staffordshire earthenwares, while the base shows the expected wear and age‑related discolouration from nearly two centuries of use and display. Light overall crazing is visible to the glaze, consistent with period production and age. According to the accompanying note, the piece was retailed by a specialist dealer, Elias Clark Antiques, underscoring its collectable status.

Condition is very good for an original 19th‑century Staffordshire Bacchus cup. There is a tiny hairline visible on the rim, as shown in the photographs, which appears stable and does not detract from either the structural integrity or the display quality of the cup. No obvious chips, restoration or overpainting are apparent on inspection, and the enamels remain bright with only minor rubbing to the high points of the modelling. The handle is intact and secure. Overall, the piece presents extremely well and is ready to add to a collection or to stand as an individual decorative accent.

Bacchus and related satyr or faun heads were popular subjects for Staffordshire potters in the first half of the 19th century, reflecting the period fashion for classical and mythological themes, especially when associated with drinking vessels. This cup would originally have functioned as a novelty wine or punch cup, its imagery directly referencing the pleasures of the grape. Today, it is most often appreciated as a sculptural collectible and as part of the long tradition leading to later 19th‑ and 20th‑century character jugs.

For collectors, this cup offers an attractive combination of sculptural quality, colourful enamel decoration, and practical display size. It would sit comfortably alongside Pratt‑ware, early toby jugs, and other figural wares from the Staffordshire potteries. The expressive modelling of the face, the crisp vine and grape ornament, and the contrasting coloured bands at rim and foot all speak to the lively, popular character of Victorian Staffordshire ceramics. Whether purchased as a specialist addition to a Bacchus or drinking‑theme collection, or simply as a conversation piece with strong visual impact, this antique Staffordshire Bacchus cup represents an appealing and authentic example of English folk pottery from around the mid‑1800s.