Featured Looking for info on sick bulldog figurine

Hello everyone,
This cute figurine of a bulldog doesn't have any markings so I'm not sure where to start. He has lots of detail and looks hand painted. Any thoughts on age or origin?

Sick Puppy by MTswirls posted Aug 23, 2019 at 2:29 AM

height by MTswirls posted Aug 23, 2019 at 2:29 AM

closeup by MTswirls posted Aug 23, 2019 at 2:29 AM

overhead by MTswirls posted Aug 23, 2019 at 2:29 AM

measurements by MTswirls posted Aug 23, 2019 at 2:29 AM

Base by MTswirls posted Aug 23, 2019 at 2:29 AM

 

I am not any kind of expert on this item, but I have seen others (not the exact same as yours) that are referred to as Mugsy.
Just passing along my 2 cents.
Wait for the experts.

 

I'm not sure exactly why sick animal figurines became popular but they seem to have started up some time around or just before the Depression era. These are usually Japanese or German. I suspect German on yours just because of the level of detail. It would be nice to find one with the writing on the tag to see if it would provide the poor doggie a name. It's nice that it survived given the delicacy of those legs. I'm sorry I can't point you to a reference on these little pieces. All I can offer is my opinion.
Don

 

He's not sick..... he has a toothache! Poor baby!

Linda

 

Remember that famous iconic Laurel and Hardy photo of one of them wrapped up in a towel that was called "toothache"? I only know about it since it was in a room on the tv show Friends for years and my dad loved L&H. Maybe they made it fashionable? Or maybe not.

 

My first thought was the mumps - my 2 cents....or toothache, especially with the wrap kind of one-sided.

 

Thanks for the info Don. It is kind of interesting that this style became such a theme. I have seen many other puppy figurines with their faces wrapped with bandages online. Do you think this piece is from the 1920's or 1930's? I'm obviously no expert, but I feel like that age is a good fit when I look at the figurines coloring and style.

 

Adorable little guy

 

I've been looking for information on my toothache dog which is the same as yours. It came from a great aunt and she had a sticker underneath saying 1908.

 

Hi JenP!

Welcome to Antiquers.............

 

Hi,
I have a post card dated 1908 with a cat with a toothache with a bandage on her head. Most have been a "fad" or something.
greg

 

I would bet that 1908 is the accurate year that the figurine was produced. My mom actually bought this one off of eBay over 10 years ago. I'm pretty sure that she paid over $100 for it, and that the listing said it was from the early 19th century, but that is all I know. I have not seen one just like it. It does seem like there was a bit of a trend of decorative dogs, cats, and other animals with toothaches during the early 1900's. Does yours also have a mark under one of the feet?