Nightingales Apprentice Appraisal

Staffordshire Portrait Figure of Florence Nightingale

This is a Victorian-style earthenware pottery figurine, commonly referred to as a Staffordshire portrait figure, depicting the famous nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale. The figure stands approximately 10 to 12 inches tall and is constructed from lead-glazed earthenware (pearlware or creamware). The subject is depicted in traditional 19th-century attire, featuring a lavender-blue bodice, a white skirt adorned with small red and blue floral sprigs, and a red shawl draped over one arm. She wears a white nurse's cap over dark hair and stands beside a yellow pedestal topped with books. The base is titled in black capital letters 'MISS NIGHTINGALE.' The construction is typical of flat-back figures intended for mantel display, with more detail on the front than the reverse. Notable condition issues include significant overall crazing (fine hairline cracks in the glaze) and some visible surface dirt, though the polychrome enamels appear relatively vibrant. The simplified, naive modeling and hand-painted features are hallmarks of mid-to-late 19th century English pottery production, though modern reproductions exist. This piece represents the high Victorian interest in 'celebrity' figures and demonstrates typical folk-art quality craftsmanship characteristic of the Staffordshire region.