Unusual Staffordshire Figure Eugenie Empress Of France & Baby Prince Imperial

An intriguing Staffordshire pottery figure of the Empress Eugenie seated in a throne with incised stars to the back and with the baby Louis-Napoleon in her arms. It is finished with a pearlware type glaze and is decorated very much in the style and colours of early 19th century figures with the addition of a few gilt accents. Raised lettering on the front to read Empress Of France has been charmingly misspelled and then being picked out in enamel (the F of France has also been formed as an E but the decorator was at least able to recognise that one!). The subject matter dates it to c.1856.