A rare antique Staffordshire pottery figure titled RED BARN.

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£4500

Dated: 1830 England

A rare antique Staffordshire pottery figure titles RED BARN. This piece was produced at the famous Obadiah Sherratt factory in Staffordshire at the time of the notorious murder case at Polstead England. Maria Martin was brutally killed by William Corder and buried under the floor of the RED BARN. EXHIBITION....IF THESE POTS COULD TALK. What a tale of intrigue,romance and murder this piece represents. It commemorates the murder of Mariah Martin and the trial and hanging of William Corder. The public interest in this case was at a fever pitch just as would have been the position today.Reported in gory and fascinating detail in the tabloid newspapers and on TV rather than with a rather appealing pottery figure group. The story had all the ingredients, a terrible crime, a disgraced girl (with three illigimate babies),bereaved parents, a dead infant, a wronged and dutiful wife. the launch into eternity of Corder and the rather mystical story surrounding the discovery of Mariah's body which had been buried in the Barn after she had been shot. Her mother dreamt that her body body was in the Red Barn..spooky. Interest in the RED BARN was so strong that after 12 month it no longer existed as pieces were taken away as souveniers. 10,000 people attended the execution and Corders skin was sold by the inch as was the rope which hung him. His skeleton was donated to medicine but his skull was buried seperatly to allay supernatural fears! What a time. I am sometimes asked what this figure represents and if I judge the questioneers to be a sensitive type I say that it is just a very charming English rural scene depicting lovers at the Red Barn....which in part is true! The full story is told in Myrna Schkolnes Book on Staffordshire Figures. Details can also be found on the web of this notorious event.

Dimensions: 12 inches wide

Literature: Myrna Schkolne in her book People,Passions,Pleasures and Pastimes,Staffordshire figures c1810-35 devoted chapter 3 to the story which gripped the nation in 1828.

£4500    $6075

Description

A rare antique Staffordshire pottery figure titles RED BARN. This piece was produced at the famous Obadiah Sherratt factory in Staffordshire at the time of the notorious murder case at Polstead England. Maria Martin was brutally killed by William Corder and buried under the floor of the RED BARN.

EXHIBITION….IF THESE POTS COULD TALK.

What a tale of intrigue,romance and murder this piece represents.
It commemorates the murder of Mariah Martin and the trial and hanging of William Corder.
The public interest in this case was at a fever pitch just as would have been the position today.Reported in gory and fascinating detail in the tabloid newspapers and on TV rather than with a rather appealing pottery figure group. The story had all the ingredients, a terrible crime, a disgraced girl (with three illigimate babies),bereaved parents, a dead infant, a wronged and dutiful wife. the launch into eternity of Corder and the rather mystical story surrounding the discovery of Mariah’s body which had been buried in the Barn after she had been shot. Her mother dreamt that her body body was in the Red Barn..spooky.
Interest in the RED BARN was so strong that after 12 month it no longer existed as pieces were taken away as souveniers. 10,000 people attended the execution and Corders skin was sold by the inch as was the rope which hung him. His skeleton was donated to medicine but his skull was buried seperatly to allay supernatural fears!
What a time. I am sometimes asked what this figure represents and if I judge the questioneers to be a sensitive type I say that it is just a very charming English rural scene depicting lovers at the Red Barn….which in part is true!
The full story is told in Myrna Schkolnes Book on Staffordshire Figures. Details can also be found on the web of this notorious event.

Additional information

Dimensions 12 in