A Staffordshire Figure of Captain Cook - circa 1847
Made by the "Alpha Factory".
An extremely talented modeller copied the portrait by Nathaniel Dance RA.
Using eight seperate moulds he produced
the superb Staffordshire Figure of:
"the ablest and most renowned navigator that this or any country has ever produced."
Captain James Cook
Captain Cook is the most famous maritime explorer of the 18th century.
His exploits in Canada, North West America, New Zealand, Australia,
Islands of the Pacific, together with his incursions into the waters of the Artic
and Antartic are well recorded throughout the world.
During his voyages great details were recorded of
people, their lives and customs, thousands of natural history specimens,
plants, animals and astronomical events.
Born in North East England in 1728, the son of a farm labourer
Cook served his apprenticeship for a Whitby-based ship owner
taking coal from Tyneside to London. He joined the Royal Navy in 1855.
He rose to Captain and spent several years charting
the east coast of Canada.
His skills were noticed by the Admiralty and the Royal Society
and he was chosen to lead a scientific expedition into the Pacific Ocean.
As Captain of the Endeavour from 1768-1771 he charted and circumnavigated
New Zealand, the East coast of Australia and many Pacific islands,
returning round the Cape of Good Hope.
Cook in the Resolution, his second great voyage 1772-1775 crossed the Artic Circle,
was presented to the King on his return and made a member of the Royal Society.
His 3rd and final voyage started in 1776,
after sailing round New Zealand and the South Pacific went in search of the
North West Passage round Alaska and the North East coast of Russia.
In 1779 Cook was killed by natives in Hawaii.
He really was a Great Briton.
This is one of the classic staffordshire figures.
The modelling is top drawer, it is beautifully painted,
with exceptionally bright colouring.
The face is superb.
Find a better example, I haven't.
It is in excellent condition.
There is no damage.
There is no restoration.
Height: 7 inches
