Parian ware bust of Charles Dickens

Anon., produced by Robinson & Leadbeater

c. 1890

British Porcelain

7 3/4 inches

The Simon Cooke Collection

A fine Robinson & Leadbeater bust, showing Dickens as a rather forbidding character and looking more like an Old Testament prophet than an English humourist. The modelling of the beard is especially fine. [Commentary continues below. Mouse over the text for links.]

Photograph by Timothy Cooke and text by Simon Cooke. Formatting by Jacqueline Banerjee.

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Parian ware or statuary porcelain was developed in the 1840s, either by Minton or Copeland and named after the Greek island of Paros. It was very popular because it kept its colour well, and was less delicate and more affordable than bone-china. Robinson and Leadbetter became one of the prime makers, in competition with Minton and Copeland.

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Created 8 February 2024