Tag Archives: Doulton Figures

Uncategorized

Something magical this way comes…. On Sunday 22nd Feb to be exact @LionandUnicorn auctions!A 1918 Royal Doulton china box with wizard final in Titanian.

Image Leave a comment

Of the handful of china boxes produced by Doulton in the first decades of the 20c, few can be said to be as rare as this example. Featuring a wizard as the box’s finial and with sterling silver mounts, it is the epitome of frivolity from the deco period. 

The box can be traced through the model book and is model 217 and it caries an impressed date of 1918. This model, like a handful from the early HN range was produced on a Titanian body, to enhance the colour of its eventual decoration. 

This lot features in Sunday’s auction at Lion and Unicorn and with worldwide postage available, you’d be remiss not to be bidding! Enjoy!

http://www.lionandunicorn.com

South Florida Art and Antiques Auction House

Uncategorized

A trio of thieves by Royal Doulton!

Image Leave a comment

This wonderful trio of characters from the tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, which was adapted into the operetta achy Chin Chow and which was first performed at His Majesty’s Theatre, London in 1916 and proved a huge success running for more than 2000 performances.

With over thirteen different models by Harry Tittensor, all quite different in size, this series offers something for every collector – rarity, unique colourways and a handful of prototypes that never entered production. Those with HN numbers began appearing from 1920 onwards but their limited production had ceased by 1936, by which time these early models were simply made to order.

The three wonderful examples illustrated above of models from the series in unusual colourways are coming up at Lion and Unicorn Auctions 24 August 2025! 

Inspired by the colourful illustrations of Edmund Dulac. Dulac was born in Toulouse, France. His artistic ability showed itself early on and drawings exist from his early teens. He won the 1901 and 1903 Grand Prix for his paintings submitted to annual competitions whilst at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. A scholarship took him to Paris and the Academie Julien where he stayed for three weeks. That same year (1904) he left for London and the start of a meteoric career. Dulac’s Picture Book for the French Red Cross (1915) contains several illustration that inspired Royal Doulton figures, including several models for this series. 

Dulac’s illustration of the Forty Thieves.
Uncategorized

Introductions are certainly needed for this Royal Doulton prototype One of the 40 coming up at Adam Partridge Auctioneers this week!

Image Leave a comment

Although there are officially 13 different models for Tittensor‘s group representing the famed 40 thieves from Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, there are four further diminutive models that were only produced as prototypes, this exciting find being one of them.

What makes this chap stand further out from the crowd is the wonderful Sung and lustre glaze that has been given to him, which just adds to his charm.

For further information please contact the auctioneers.

Artists, Burslem, C. J. Noke, Eastern delights, Figure Articles, Figure inspiration

Come one, come all….another wonderful early Royal Doulton figure coming up this week – A Mandarin!

Image Leave a comment

Collectors will certainly be spoilt for choice this week at Adam Partridge Auctioneers.

As part of the fabulous collection they are putting under the hammer this week is this early and rare Charles Noke Model ‘A Mandarin’ introduced in 1918.

The auctioneers write:

CHARLES J NOKE FOR ROYAL DOULTON; ‘A Mandarin’, a very rare figure, HN791, 1st version, model 189, (26-36), ‘Royal Doulton’ backstamp, ‘A Mandarin’, ‘C.J. Noke. sc.’ and ‘Potted by Doulton & Co’ handwritten in black script, impressed marks, height 25cm.

This is believed to be the only known version of HN791 and is actually the figure illustrated in Eyles (D) & Irvine (L) & Baynton (V), Royal Doulton Figures, published Richard Dennis, 2004, page 91.

The model is as inspired by an Edmund Dulac illustration in his Picture Book for the French Red Cross from 1915. Several other important figures can be traced to this book including the legendary Princess Badoura and several of the One of the Forty (Thieves) models.

Dulac’s original illustration that inspired Noke.
Uncategorized

Another exciting discovery coming up this week – Guy Fawkes HN 445!

Image Leave a comment

Rarely does such an impressive grouping of early Royal Doulton figures come onto the market, but Adam Partridge Auctioneers have certainly pulled it out the bag this week!

Here is the super rare HN 445 Guy Fawkes not previously illustrated. He is model 226 originally introduced in 1918 as HN 98 in the typical red cloak, this slightly later version from 1921 features a lustrous green cloak and fabulous all round painting!

Famed as we Brits know is famed for his plot to blow up Parliament on Nov 5th 1605.

This large size Harry Tittensor model was produced in three colourways; this being the last introduced in 1921 and available to order until the 1930s, although no other examples in green have turned up. He was later produced in miniature HN 3271 remodelled by Peter Gee in 1989.

Uncategorized

Introducing the rare ‘Shylock’ coming up this week!

Image Leave a comment

What a collection of Doulton Adam Partridge Auctioneers have coming up this week!

Included in their choice gathering of rare figures is this fabulous example of Charles J. Noke’s Shylock, that most famous of characters from Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. in Shakespeare’s play he is outwitted by Portia in his claim for his ‘pound of flesh’. Interestingly the role was played by two theatre greats who inspired Noke and other modellers to create some of the most recognisable Doulton figures produced – Sir Henry Irving and Herbert Beerbohm.

Noke had previously modelled a similar but monumental version of Shylock as part of the Vellum figures range in the late 19th century. this HN example is 19cm.

Returning to our example in hand – you can see that the piece is marked underneath Titanian and that is because this body was used in a selection of early figures from Spook HN50 through to A Mandarin HN382. There is no particular rhyme as to why a Titanian body was used other than the suggestion that the decorating technique may produce a richer result. A further example HN 317 has been discovered and even a completely lustred one.

This wonderful example at Partridges fits the description of HN 79 with his yellow sleeves and multicoloured cloak. He was produced from 1917 until his mild was destroyed in the 1930s, although he cannot have been a popular figure at the time due to his complete scarcity today.

Illustrator, Jennie Harbour, Powder Bowls, Pretty Lady

The inspiration behind Royal Doulton’s Lady and Blackamoor!

Image Leave a comment

Jennie Harbour’s influence on Royal Doulton’s HN collection is relatively unknown. Certainly her name does not readily crop up in their company records, which detail when they bought many ‘sole rights for reproduction in china’ images from greetings card manufacturers and even artists directly. However, Harbour I have yet to find reference to….

Nevertheless her influence can be seen throughout the 1930s and Leslie Harradine clearly drew inspiration for many of his classic figures from her work including Miss Fortune, Lady Clare, Modena, Annabella etc….

Here we have a very early and rare figure Lady and Blackamoor together with the Harbour picture that inspired the group. Like a handful of bell-shaped figures from the time the model has been adapted as a powder bowl for a lady’s dressing table. Although unattributed here, these powder bowls were typically produced for Dubarry.

It will interest collectors to know that the head on the group illustrated was also remodelled for this bowl. Here is her original head from an early group photograph. The model number also differs model 267 being the original one piece group and the powder bowl model 273. Also note the differing position of the fan and hands.

This wonderfully early figure is coming up @ Lion and Unicorn auctions 21 April 2024. Visit http://www.lionandunicorn.com for further information!

Uncategorized

Royal Doulton’s rare Double Spook!

Image Leave a comment

Royal Doulton’s rare Double Spook!

Among the earliest of figures produced as part of the HN series sits Soooks HN 88. Not only do they represent the whimsical but also the often dark humour of the time.

Noke’s Spooks were made as a companion figure to Harry Tittensor’s A Spook HN 50 introduced in 1916. Whilst there were several colourways of the latter, only three official versions of Spooks were produced. Both models were withdrawn by 1936, although in reality any that were made later in this timeframe were likely to be one off special orders, as with all the early figures.

Returning to our star piece today, the colours are typical of other figures in the HN range from the 1920s where multiple firings achieved wonderful effects. The greens, purples, blues and reds are all reminiscent of Harradine’s deco beauties.

The example illustrated is coming up at Lion and Unicorn auctions and the model is clearly dated 1924 with a model number 211.

Uncategorized

Doulton’s Vellum Marguerite and Mephistopheles @Bonhams 11.08.20 lot116

Image Leave a comment

This rare double sided Vellum figure by Doulton’s Charles Noke is part of a choice selection of Doulton wares ex being offered @Bonhams on 11 August 2020.

Lot 116 is believed to have been part of the Doulton exhibit at the Chicago Exhibition of 1893, at which much acclaim was heaped on the company.

This unusual variation sees Mephistopheles decorated in a cobalt costume with raised gold dragons, no doubt a design from the Robert Allen studio.

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

An Amazing Adventure – Part 2

Leave a comment

IMG_0506-0.JPG

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!