Rams Head Antiques

Description

Here we have a rare pair of Staffordshire Military Portrait figures of Charles Napier and Admiral Dundas each modelled with a canon, shells and a flag to the side. General Sir Charles James Napier was an officer and veteran of the British Army's Peninsular and 1812 Napoleonic campaigns. He was later a Major General of the Bombay Army, during which period he led the military conquest of Sindh, before serving as the Governor of Sindh, and Commander-in-Chief in India.
Here, he is shown in a heroic pose. He is wearing a dark cobalt blue coat - with over-glaze enamels picking out other details of his uniform. He has white epaulets, a white sash, and a black bicorn hat in his hand and holding a flag in the other. Admiral Sir James Whitley Deans Dundas was a Royal Navy Officer. He also took part in the Napoleonic Wars first as a junior officer when he took part in the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland in Autumn 1799 and later as a commander when he was in action at Copenhagen Dockyard shortly after the capture of that city in August 1807. He also served as Whig Member of Parliament for Greenwich and then for Devises and became First Naval Lord in the First Russell ministry in July 1847 and in that role his service was dominated by the needs of Whig party. He was appointed Commander in Cheif in the Mediterranean in 1852 and led all naval operations in the Black Sea including the bombardment of Sevastopol in October 1854 during the Crimean War.

These are in really good condition for their age, circa 1850. Dundas is in good condition, Napier with historic hairline crack to lower part, as photographed, both retain a good strength with bold enamel detail.

Rare to find, these are a great decorative pair of good size at 42 cms high wide 21 cms by 10 cms deep.

UK insured packing and delivery is £20