David Henry Souter’s cat Kateroo featured on many Doultonproducts from the first decades of the 20th Century. There was a large size model of Kateroo HN514 in typical black and white, which was also made in a bright yellow or alternatively a bronze colouring. 

Perhaps the most easily found items featuring this unusual cat are the two pin trays each featuring the saying ‘God bless the cat that breaks the crocks in pieces very small, for things like that are good for trade and benefit us all’. Naturally these pin trays, available in a circular or rectangular shape were produced for the trade and available between 1906 and 1939.

Very popular today are the series of six rack plates featuring Souter’s Kateroo, and reflecting his life as a bachelor, then during courtship, then marriage and finally family life. In 1937 the series re-emerged with different cartoons on various tablewares and there are several variations that occasionally turn up.

Vases, jardinières and other objects can also be occasionally found featuring early scenes and some feature dead mice hanging by their tails around the top of the object. This gruesome image remains nevertheless humorous due to Souter’s witty interpretation and often sarcastic titling of the scene.

Souter himself enjoyed a long and varied career. Hailing from Scotland he would move to Australia and his Kateroo was especially popular there.

Thanks to @ Lion and Unicorn Auctions for use of their photos.

All items featured are up for auction today 26.06.26 @lionandunicorn auctions !

In 1871 Doulton exhibited their first another at the International Exhibition at South Kensington and whilst the majority of the art wares were by their first artist, George Tinworth, a selection were also by a young artist by the name of Hannah Barlow, then a student at Spark’s Lambeth Art School. 

The new art wares attracted even the attention of Queen Victoria who ordered examples to be shown to her at Windsor afterwards. 

Within two years of working at the Lambeth factor, Hannah was joined by a small group of other young ladies. Interestingly among the ladies were her two sisters Florence and Lucy, together with their brother Arthur. 

Over the decades Hannah worked at the Lambeth factory, she developed her own individual style making her work immediately identifiable to collectors, with her incised animal decoration. Hannah remains perhaps the most collected Doulton Lambeth artist in no small part due to her output sometimes reaching around 1000 pieces per year over a 40 year period.

Even today her work gets top billing at auctions and events around the world. Which leads us into today where you can see this wonderful selection at Lion and Unicorn Auctions, Florida today Sunday 21st June 2026! For more information visit their socials or http://www.lionandunicorn.com

 

http://www.lionandunicorn.com