Antique Victorian Pug Dog Sculpture Terra Cotta Glass Eyes Signed 13.5” Rare

Description:

Remarkable antique pug dog sculpture dating to approximately the late Victorian to early Edwardian era, circa 1880–1910. This wonderfully expressive dog stands about 13 1/2 inches tall and appears to be crafted from terra cotta or a similar ceramic composition with a beautifully hand-finished surface.

The quality of the modeling on this piece is exceptional. He has deeply sculpted facial folds, wonderfully realistic paws, textured fur, and striking glass eyes that give him an almost human expression. He is even anatomically correct — a level of realism often seen in higher-quality late 19th century animal studies.

The warm aged surface and original character throughout make this a particularly appealing example. He retains his molded collar and has tremendous decorative presence in person. Antique pug figures of this scale and quality are quite scarce, especially examples with glass eyes and such detailed naturalistic modeling.

The underside bears a handwritten inscription that appears to reference the dog as belonging to “Grandpa Goods,” with “Johnny” likely being the dog’s name. It adds a wonderful layer of personality and family history to the piece and suggests he may have been a beloved family pet memorialized in sculptural form.

This is an extremely heavy and substantial sculpture with tremendous presence in person.

Condition:

Please study all photos carefully as they are part of the description. There is an old repair to the left rear leg area, shown clearly in the photographs. He also shows age-related wear including scuffing, paint loss, surface scratches, chips, and general wear consistent with age and display. The glass eyes appear original.

Despite the imperfections, he displays beautifully and has an incredible presence and personality that is difficult to find in antique animal sculpture.

I have quite a bit invested in this piece myself and searched a long time to find one of this quality.

Measurements:

• Approximately 13 1/2 inches tall

• Extremely heavy and substantial

I pack antiques with great care and will happily refund any shipping overage if actual shipping costs are lower than estimated.

Wonderful addition to a collection of antique dogs, Victorian animal sculpture, pug memorabilia, folk art, or unusual decorative arts.

📸 Photos are part of the description; please view all images carefully.

💌 Ships securely packaged and insured.

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