Description
An extraordinary and highly unusual pearlware-glazed pottery model of a life-size ram’s head, dating to circa 1810–1820 and probably produced in Staffordshire, England.
The head has been constructed with a hole on the reverse for wall hanging, while three apertures within a recessed hollow at the top appear to have been specifically designed to accommodate a set of genuine ram’s horns. The accompanying replica resin horns are detachable.
No known records or directly comparable examples have been identified, making the original purpose of this piece a mystery. It is tempting to speculate that it may have been produced as a unique, one-off commission — perhaps for a sheep farmer or landowner, or possibly for the proprietor of an establishment known as “The Ram’s Head.”
Its unusual construction, impressive scale and enigmatic history make it an exceptionally rare and engaging survivor of early 19th-century English pottery. The head is a unique, extraordinary historical country piece with a story to tell.