Tithe Pig Figurine

This is a superb figurine called the tithe pig group made by Derby in the 18th century. It shows the farmer holding a piglet in his arm with a cane in the other, the farmer's wife holding her tenth child and the grumpy vicar next to her. Nice tree behind them and a base with a basket of eggs, some wheat and snother little pig. This is a figure with one of the most fun stories behind it. Kind of like the Derby equivalent to the Tailor on the goat at Meissen. Just superb background stories to these pieces. The tithe system requires that the parishioners pay one tenth of their annual income to the church. Mostly a voluntary thing by the time this group was modeled but in earlier times it was mandatory! Here the wife is saying you cannot have the tenth pig unless you take the tenth kid as well which does not make the vicar happy at all :) His facial expression is priceless! The figure is very well modeled and hand painted to perfection. The figurine is in great condition but as expected there is damage to the tree which was superbly restored with a little piece of branch with some leaves over the lady's head having broken off again and reglued. Her bonnet is restored and there is damage to the ehad but I am unsure if it was ever off. Firing crack to the underside which is normal and does not affect the top side. The restoration work is very very good and it displays perfectly and is nicer than most I have seen. The piece is unmarked underneath but that's common as well. The figurine is 7 inches tall, 5.125 inches wide and 3.5 inches deep. Please email me for more information or other pictures.