Victorian Fairings derive the name from the English fairs where they were sold are given as prizes.
The small figural groups were made from porcelain, and often brightly coloured.
Cheap, cheerful and aimed at the popular end of the market, fairings have the same saucy humour of the seaside postcard,
complete with punning captions.
Favourite subjects included marital scenes, canoodling lovers, cats, dogs and children.
Events from everyday life such as visits to the dentist, and the Crimea and the Franco prussian Wars also inspired models.
Though English in theme and caption, fairings were in fact made in Germany for export.
The principal manufacture was conta and boehme of possnek.