Cute and comedic

Burmantofts grotesque toads, late 19th-century

Novelty grotesques were a Victorian passion, inspired in part by the mythical creatures in Chinese and Japanese art that was so fashionable at the time. The look was gleefully translated by potteries such as Martin Brothers, which created all kinds of fanciful animal and human pieces, and by Burmantofts, which produced grotesques in bold monochrome glazes. These grotesque warty toads in a turquoise glaze are typical. The seated one is a spoon warmer, the standing three-legged one is a small container, and they sold for £420 at Tennants in late 2015. To confirm that a grotesque is Burmantofts, look for the mark ‘Burmantofts Faience’, or ‘BF’.