Ralph Wood, Jr. modeled this figure of Benjamin Franklin for the American market. By 1782, he established himself as a master potter in Burslem in the heart of the Staffordshire potteries and potted independently until his death in 1795. He made both enamel-painted and color-glazed figures. Many of his figures stand on distinctive square bases and are usually impressed with his maker’s mark. The pottery made a broad range of busts, including Geoffrey Chaucer, John Milton, Isaac Newton, Alexander Pope, and George Frideric Handel (B.69.70).

The pose of this figure possibly suggests Benjamin Franklin drawing electricity from the sky. The medal around his neck may be the Royal Society of London’s Copley Medal, which was awarded to him in 1753 "on account of his curious Experiments and Observations on Electricity."