Height 13.5 in., Width 10.5 in., Depth 7.5 in. each. This facing pair of Staffordshire-style seated spaniel dogs stands 13.5 inches tall -- a generous large scale that places them among the most impressive examples of the mantelpiece spaniel tradition -- each modeled in the classic Victorian pose with characteristically expressive face, flowing russet red and cream coat with painted fur detail, gilt molded collar with padlock locket and gilt chain looped across the chest, and the distinctive scroll-form base treatment consistent with the Staffordshire mantel dog tradition that has endured from its Victorian origins to the present day. The Staffordshire spaniel -- specifically the King Charles Spaniel -- became the defining mantel ornament of the Victorian working-class household following the enormous popularity of Queen Victorias own King Charles Cavalier Spaniel named Dash, immortalized in paintings by Landseer and inspiring dozens of small Staffordshire potteries to produce seated spaniel pairs from the 1840s onward in a range of sizes from approximately 5 centimeters to over 30 centimeters for sale at markets and fairs as affordable domestic decoration. Staffordshire spaniels have been continuously produced and reproduced since the Victorian era and unmarked examples are typical of the tradition -- authentic Victorian examples are press-molded with a small firing hole in the base, hand-painted with slight variations between the pair and show soft gilding with evidence of age wear, while later 20th century reproductions are typically slip-cast with a larger casting hole and have more uniform bright gilt. The bases of this pair should be examined for firing hole size, glaze character and any impressed or printed marks to assist in precise dating, as scale and condition at 13.5 inches significantly strengthen the appeal of this pair. Condition is good with the russet and white decoration vivid and the gilt collars intact.