This model is as inspired by an Edmund Dulac illustration in his Picture Book for the French Red Cross from 1915. Also known as A Chinese Mandarin and The Mikado, he was no doubt popularised by the contemporary musical comedy The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan.

Collectors will be interested to see that this particular HN colourway is on a Titanian body, like a small group of other figures from this period, the Titanian body offered a richer base to emphasise the particular decoration used for this colourway. Interestingly the double Spooks figure can also be found with a Titanian body in certain colourways.

Several other important figures can be traced to Dulac’s book including the legendary Princess Badoura and several of the One of the Forty (Thieves) models.

This particularly rare version of A Mandarin is the first HN colourway of him. Modelled by Royal Doulton’s then art director at their Burselm factory, C. J. Noke, he was introduced in 1918 and available to order until around 1936, when the block was destroyed due to not having been used in then recent times, like so many other early model blocks.

The auction for this exceptionally rare model and a selection of other rarities, will take place at 2pm on Wednesday 10thSeptember at Adam Partridge’s Macclesfield saleroom, here is a link to the website

https://auctions.adampartridge.co.uk/auction/search/?au=177