Staffordshire “The Glutton” Novelty Inkstand

Description

This Victorian novelty inkwell depicts a satirical character study in gluttony, press-molded in a single, unified piece.

Subject & Satirical Attribution

The central figure features a stout, rounded gentleman with heavy double chins and prominent brown mutton-chop sideburns, dressed in a dark green frock coat over a white collared shirt. He is seated in a tan curved-back armchair, voraciously consuming an entire roast bird or whole fowl held tightly in both hands.

Connecting this piece to Daniel Lambert (1770–1809) is a compelling option.

The character’s physical proportions, facial features, outfit, and voracious appetite strongly match period caricatures and Victorian Staffordshire depictions of Daniel Lambert (1770–1809)—the famously rotund Leicester jail keeper whose fame led to his likeness being featured across 19th-century English ceramics, brassware, and tavern signs symbolizing abundance and gluttony.

• Who Was Daniel Lambert? Lambert was a famous 18th/19th-century English jail keeper from Leicester who weighed over 700 pounds and became a national phenomenon. In the 19th century, his portrait and likeness were widely produced across British brassware, cast iron, and Staffordshire ceramics—often under satirical themes such as “The Glutton” or “Gluttony.”
• Victorian “Daniel Lambert” Inkwells: Victorian brass, cast iron, and ceramic inkwells depicting Daniel Lambert sitting at a table voraciously eating a whole chicken or bird were popular novelty items during the late 19th century.
• Likeness & Sideburns: The figure’s rounded face, double chin, prominent mutton-chop sideburns, and green coat strongly match period caricature prints and Staffordshire models of Lambert.

While Victorian potters did not always stamp name titles onto these small desk wares, the combination of the stout gentleman, sideburns, green frock coat, and a table laden with a fish, a bird, and a bottle makes an attribution to Daniel Lambert / “The Glutton” a real possibility.

Tabletop Details & Functional Vessels

The table is draped in a crisp white cloth finished with a single hand-painted orange-red stripe along the bottom rim. It is set with a feast that cleverly integrates functional desk accessories:

• Central Platter: Positioned directly on the table in front of the figure is an oval platter carrying a molded whole baked fish with detailed surface scoring.
• Ink Font (Right): Located on the viewer’s right, the circular open vessel formed as a raised, golden-brown savory pie crust or bread ring serves as the primary ink reservoir.
• Pen Receiver (Left): Positioned on the viewer’s left, a cylindrical socket accented with a broad magenta/pink luster band is designed to hold a dip pen or quill upright.
• Side Flagon: Mounted directly to the left vertical edge of the table is a molded, dark-glazed stoneware bottle or liquor flagon.
• Side Dish: Behind the ink font sits a small dish containing a mound of green vegetables.

Origin, Manufacture & Dating

• Origin: Staffordshire, England (Stoke-on-Trent region).
• Attribution: Produced by one of the prominent Staffordshire potteries specializing in satirical flatbacks, Toby figures, and novelty desk wares (such as Sampson Smith, Kent & Parr, or Thomas Parr). The dense semi-porcelain body, single-piece press mold, colorful overglaze polychrome painting, and unglazed base are defining characteristics of late 19th-century English Staffordshire production.
• Date: Circa 1870–1890.