Category Archives: Art deco

Art deco, Art nouveau

Doulton’s fluttering butterflies.

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The Camberwell Beauty tile panel.

Since Victorian times butterflies have been a popular collecting field; from actual examples, to jewellery, to pottery – examples can be readily found.
As a follower of fashion it is no surprise to find many examples of butterflies throughout Doulton’s many ranges. Some of the earliest can be found on their Faience ware produced at Lambeth and this body and style of decoration perfectly suits the beauty of these fragile creatures!

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Above and below a vase and detail by Frances Linnell dated 1877.

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On the larger size is the famous Camberwell Beauty (above) which even today decorates the side of a building in Camberwell, London. On the smaller size are the Lambeth vases decorated with Butterflies under the pattern number X8725 and this charming bibelot by Harry Simmeon (often mistakenly attributed to Mark Mashshall) that I have in my own collection.

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There are also an array of Burslem butterflies to collect – from floating flower bowl clips which can be found mounted on stumps too, to brooches, to tea wares, to serieswares.

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Three Butterfly clips for bowls and vases ca.1920.

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Detail of a seriesware pattern that was also used in art wares from the Robert Allen studio.

For me the most wonderful Butterfly created by Doulton was the stylish figure of a girl in a butterfly costume designed by Leslie Harradine from 1925 and available in 5 colourways.

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Harradine’s Butterfly HN719.

This figure was inspired by a costume design as Jocelyn and I originally revealed in our book Reflections. Another Butterfly is of course Harradine’s Fairy HN1324 with her butterfly wings!

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A favourite Fairy butterfly of mine.

In more recent times Doulton was keen to revisit past successes and so we have Peter Gee’s lovely figure Isadora and also the Prestige Butterfly Ladies Collection by the wonderful Valerie Annand.

Art deco, C. J. Noke

Remember, remember the 5th of November….

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…gunpowder, treason and plot!

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I’m sure there isn’t a British adult who does not remember the story of Guy Fawkes and his failed attempt to blow up Parliament when in session and thus return a Catholic monarch to the throne. Since his capture on the 5th November 1605 we have celebrated this event annually with large bonfires with a ‘Guy’ atop.
Despite his grizzly end, Guy or Guido Fawkes has been immortalised on many occasions by Royal Doulton in their most popular collections.

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One of the first is this large figure designed by Noke himself and available in 3 colourways as well as a modern miniature. I have always thought there must be a picture to go with this figure but to date nothing identical has turned up, save the typical illustrations of him since the foiled plot, such as this one. There has been a newer version of a Guy Fawkes illustrated above HN4784.

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Noke’s love of historical characters and events resulted in this wonderful addition to his range of limited edition loving cups and jugs introduced in the 1930’s, complete with detailed description to the base!

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And of course he has also been immortalised in Character Jug form too!

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Who would have thought that centuries later we would be celebrating this event and a man who was convicted of treason?

Art deco, Artists, Figure Articles, Leslie Harradine

Doulton’s blossoming beauties!

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Of the many collecting themes based around colour that are so popular with collectors today, there is a particularly beautiful theme that is not quite as obvious. This being the group of figures with floral decoration to their dresses, cloaks and skirts. Only when looking at our own collections do we often realise that we have several examples in this style in our own collections – perhaps you have others we can add to this picture? I’m sure you’ll agree they make a stunning group! My personal favourites are those on Leslie Harradine’s figures.

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Art deco, Fashion, Figure Articles, Figure inspiration, Leslie Harradine

Collecting Doulton’s galloping gals!

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Collecting ‘themes’ is something we look at sporadically but often it is only on reflection that we – or should I say I – realise that we already have a sub-theme already in our collections. This was certainly the case with these Doulton ladies in riding costume!

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I have to admit that I don’t have them displayed as a group, but that is simply because they have been gathered over time and they’ve ‘slotted’ in as and where I can! However, I did find that I had one of my favourites, the Hunts Lady, standing ironically next to a fox!

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Perhaps I’ll find somewhere to have them as a group now, next time I move things around!

Art deco, Art nouveau, Christening cups, Lambeth

Collecting Doulton Christening Cups.

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A selection of Christening cups made at Lambeth from the 19th Century – early 20th Century.

When I first saw these cups due to be auctioned this weekend, I was reminded once again of the diversity of Doulton, but also the diversity of collectors too! Here once again is a novel collecting theme!

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The Christening cup is a typical Christening gift for a baby and whilst more well-to-do families may have chosen silver examples, these personalised stoneware cups were no doubt more modestly priced in comparison. These mini works of art have obviously been cherished over the decades and remain as evidence of their original owners. How wonderful would it be to trace the original owners?

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Many thanks to the Potteries Auctions for use of these photos from their sale on Sunday 26th October.

Alchemist, Art deco, Art nouveau, Artists

Royal Doulton’s Alchemists.

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Sung and Chang catalogues featuring an alchemist figure.

Since the earliest times of Doulton’s art studios in Burslem, we have seen a procession of objects reflecting our continued fascination with alchemy.

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A Kingsware Alchemist jug.

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A fantastic Sung Alchemist style plaque sold at Bonhams.

Be it the search for the fabled philosopher’s stone, the elixir of life or the ability to turn base metals into gold – the slightest possibility that these may be possible has kept us gripped, as we can trace from literature’s fascination with it too from Shakespeare’s plays right up to J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books.

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The Alchemist from the HN Collection.

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Another portrayal of an Alchemist on an art nouveau Holbein vase.

Art deco, Fashion, Figure Articles, Figure inspiration

Doulton’s 1930’s glamour girls.

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After the roaring twenties, the 1930’s developed into a decade of glamour where long, sleek lines and Hollywood glamour took over. Whilst Doulton continued to produced the Victorian style ladies, characters and child studies so favoured by collectors, there were a distinct group of glamour girls which were introduced as a nod to this change in style.

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Two of the first introduced, also happen to be two favourites of mine – Clothilde and Gloria, who appear to have stepped straight out if the pages of a glossy fashion magazine.

Hats have always been a popular theme for collectors, so it is no surprise to see Windflower here with her contemporary brimmed hat.

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Another hat girl is Nadine, who could be promenading along a boardwalk in the evening sun, lapping up attention from her would-be admirers.

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Still other ladies seem to represent popular sports such as the stylish Maureen with her riding crop.

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Another favourite figure of mine is this, The Mirror, with her chic dressing gown, admiring her reflection in her mirror. She is such a delicate figure it is not hard to see why so few have survived.

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A final figure that I’d like to share is the stunning Lambeth Walk, shown dancing to the famous tune of the same name. Her clothes are the epitome of 1930’s chic and this colourway of her is so detailed.

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Art deco, Artists, Colourways, Figure Articles, Figure inspiration, Leslie Harradine

An Amazing Adventure – Part 2

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Continuing my look back at last Saturday’s talk, here are a few more choice items from the selection that I took along. The premise of the talk was ‘My Collection’.
In this section the theme was the development of figures, so I took the art nouveau, square Harradine vase along so as to discuss Harradine’s roll but also the links with Doulton from his time as an apprentice modeller, to the period 1910-14 when he supplied models to Lambeth on a freelance basis and finally how the link with Burslem was established with the introduction of his first figure into the HN Collection in 1920.
The first figure we looked at was Harradine’s original model for Micawber and we discussed the process and arrangement he had with Charles Noke.
Next up were the M series and these original boxes for them. Most of these M figures were of course based on Harradine’s larger models.
A popular theme for all figure collectors has always – well since HN1 – been children so I shared a few favourites from the Nursery figures set including a prototype in my collection.
Honey and her inspiration followed, a typical painting by Stanislaus Longley, who Harradine used repeatedly for inspiration. Interestingly this work was also used by the famous London store Liberty for a Christmas catalogue cover in the 1930’s – and that is also pictured.
This section was completed with a discussion on colourways and I shared a version of Clothilde that I have from 1937.

Next time I’ll share some Burslem art wares that we discussed!

Arabian Nights, Art deco, Artists

Royal Doulton’s eastern delights!

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The Cobbler HN542 dated 1925.

Back in the early years of the 20th Century there was great fascination with the ‘exotic East’ most of which had only just entered the consciousness of many people.

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An early colourway of The Mendicant dated 1929.

This fascination by the public en mass no doubt explains the success of the musical play Chu Chin Chow. It opened in 1916 just as the HN Collection too was still being established, thus it is no surprise to find many examples of figures inspired by the east in the collection.

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A colourway of Abdullah dated 1930.

The main character, The Cobbler, was himself immortalised into the collection by Noke himself!

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The base of The Cobbler showing his original factory label.

The popularity of Chu Chin Chow is illustrated by this menu card from 1924, which heralded the return of Doulton’s sales manager from his Australasian tour, much like the tours Michael Doulton does today in his role as ambassador for the Doulton brand. In the menu it sets out the toasts to be made, together with songs to be performed during the dinner that included the Cobbler’s Song from Chu Chin Chowperformed by Jack Noke, Charles’ son who would eventually take over as Art Director at Burslem. Interestingly the cover is also signed by various attendees including Charles Noke.

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Two views of the menu card mentioned.

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Doulton produced several other eastern inspired figures including The Mendicant, The Potter, The Emir and of course the prestige piece The Moor.

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An unusual pair of bookends mounted with The Mendicant colourway (pictured above) and version 2 of Noke’s The Cobbler.