Antique Conta & Boheme German made Fairing: The last in bed to put out the light

Antique Conta & Boheme German made Fairing: The Last in bed to put out the light. This fairing was made by ‘Conta & Boheme’ for the UK market at the end of the 19th Century (1890-1900).

The solid base is stamped with the printed mark ‘Made in Germany’.

In pretty good condition with no chips, however, it does have a crack at the back behind the headboard as seen in one of the photos.

Approximate Maximum Measurements

• Length: 9.5cm (3.7″)
• Width: 5.5cm (2.2″)
• Height: 9.1cm (3.6″)

This figurine is a domestic scene of a husband climbing into bed with his wife, whom is already in bed. The words, written in gold on the side of the ornament, are quite difficult to read but say The last in bed to put out the light.  

You can see the man glancing towards the candle as he climbs in to bed: no electric lighting was available in this house, in fact most UK houses until well into the 20th Century.

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Some Trivia For You!

Why is this figure called a Fairing?

The answer is that they were given away as prizes at fun fairs: no goldfish or coconut prizes then! They were popular from about the Mid 19th Century until the outbreak of WW1, when most manufacturers attention was diverted to the war effort.