I’m fascinated by antiques that come with stories, which is why I love Staffordshire spaniels.
Staffordshire spaniels are an odd breed of antique. On the one hand, they’re the quintessential Victorian bourgeois status-symbol knick-knack: no mantelpiece was complete without a pair of spaniels standing guard. On the other hand, they’re utter whimsy: pottery dogs don’t snuggle, they don’t bark, and they have no household use—but they do come with great stories.
When I purchased my first set of these, the antique dealer told me this story surrounding the pair of spaniels: Once upon a time, in a little bungalow next to the sea, there lived a woman and her two Staffordshire spaniels. She was careful about placement of her spaniels in the front window. When the spaniels had their backs to each other, her husband was at home. When they faced each other, he was at sea. The woman's lover would pass by the house, note the position of the spaniels, and know whether or not he could sneak in for a snuggle.
No comments:
Post a Comment