George Tinworth (British 1843-1913) for Doulton Lambeth
‘Painting’ mice group menu holder

1880s/1890s
Glazed earthenware
Underside impressed with Doulton stamp and '1886', incised 'JB' monogram and 'EV'
9cm high

Preview: Barley Mow Centre

The collection of Pat and David Redstone
Pat and David Redstone began collecting in the 1950s, acquiring works that interested them – primarily in stoneware and porcelain. David Redstone is co-author of the monograph on Bow porcelain. Chiswick Auctions would like to thank the Redstone family for allowing us to present the current work to auction.

George Tinworth attended Lambeth School of Art from c.1861 to c.1864 where he trained as a modeller. In 1864 he was admitted to the Royal Academy Schools. After Tinworth's father died, and he needed work to support his family, the headmaster at the Lambeth School of Art persuaded his friend Henry Doulton to employ Tinworth to decorate pottery. Until his arrival, Doultons had made only functional products such as drain pipes in salt-glazed stoneware. In 1867, Tinworth began working as a modeller with the Royal Doulton Potteries, Lambeth, with whom he remained until his death. He was instrumental in the success of Doultons at international exhibitions in 1867, 1871, and 1873. Tinworth exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1866 and 1885; in 1875 he showed a series of small terracotta panels depicting religious scenes, which were praised by the critic John Ruskin and resulted in various commissions for public statuary. Tinworth became Doulton's most important designer of vases, jugs, figures and animals and today he is probably best known for his humorous figural mice groups.

Tinworth modelled a set of 40 different 'Mice Musicians' for the 1884 Exhibition of Invention and Music. He produced many variations on the same theme, especially in the 1880s and 1890s.