Description
Conta and Boehme 19th century Antique Victorian Porcelain Fairing Figurine «The Last in Bed to Put Out the Light»
A Victorian era china fairing is a small porcelain figure sold for a few pence, or given away as souvenirs at the very bustling and popular English country fairs from 1850-1914. They were made in Germany in the 19th century for the English market. As they were German made, production halted at the time of the start of WWI in Europe.
Fairings depict various British humorous scenes of domestic family life as well as 19th c. political, children and animal scenes. They have a small plinth or base with an early caption, which appears as beautifully handwritten in old copperplate script. Interestingly, they were once known as “bedpieces”, as so many fairings show scenes that take place in the bedroom.
Fairings were also made for utilitarian purpose such as small boxes, match holders, strikers, watch holders and mirrors. They were sometimes manufactured in pairs, with each figure telling a part of the story. The earliest fairings from about 1850-1890 were made by the very prolific Conta & Boehme factory in Germany and exported to England. From 1890-1914 they were made by other manufactories and all are highly collected today.
The delightfully sentimental and humorous hand-painted porcelain features a couple in bed clothes climbing into a half canopy bed. There is a green floral decorated bedcover on the bed. At the foot of the bed is a candle in a gold-colored candle holder on a small table with a pink floral decorated cloth. The front of the base is inscribed in script “The last in bed to put out the light.”
Condition: The candle is broken. There are no other chips, cracks or repairs.
