A Brief History of Royal Doulton Figurines:  In 1815, John Doulton invested the family savings of a hundred pounds in a small business on the banks of the River Thames in Lambeth, London.  The Company quickly expanded and during the 1830s, John was joined by his sons.  It was his second son, Henry, who was to become the driving force in the business.  Under Henry’s influence, sanitary ware and drainpipe manufacture commenced, an art studio was opened at Lambeth and a factory was acquired in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent for the manufacture of tableware.  Henry’s contribution to the ceramic industry was widely acknowledged, and in 1887 he became the first potter to be knighted.  In 1897, the "Big Potter" died but it was in the tribute to him that in 1901 the Company was granted the Royal Warrant by King Edward VII and commanded to use the word "Royal" to describe the Company and its products.

The factory at Burslem developed rapidly during the last years of the nineteenth century. The Art Director, John Slater, and his assistant, Charles Noke, were responsible for introducing many new designs, for modeling spectacular shapes and for inventing decorative techniques. The success of the partnership was illustrated at the World’s Columbian Exhibition in Chicago, USA, in 1893 when the Company was acclaimed as " the leader in English pottery". Many new designs were on show including the first freestanding Royal Doulton figures/figurines.

The introduction of figures/figurines was one of Noke’s greatest ambitions and during the early 20^th century he developed this concept further.  In 1913 a second collection was introduced. Queen Mary who was visiting the factory in that year saw one of the figures and exclaimed, "isn’t he a Darling". The figure was renamed "Darling" in her honor and several variation have been made of this model through the years. A century after the first figures were launched, over 5,000 different models have been produced. The collection today is extensive and the collector has a wide choice including Pretty Ladies, Character Studies, Images, Reflections, Sentiments, as well as Limited Edition and Prestige models.

Royal Doulton Insignia, Marks & Backstamps:   Royal Doulton uses the term backstamp to refer to the Royal Doulton factory mark whether incised, printed or impressed.  Over the years, various backstamps have been used and these are invaluable in determining the age of figures.  For the Royal Doulton figures, the basic mark incorporates the lion over the crown with the words Royal Doulton surrounding four interlocking "Ds".  This backstamp was incorporated in 1901 to mark the grant of the Royal Warrant by King Edward VII together with the specific right to use the word "Royal" to designate Doulton productions.  This mark has been modified several times since 1922 by the addition of information such as registration numbers, etc.  The term 'Bone China' is stated in the backstamp for figurines made of bone china and it is omitted for those made of porcelain.  Below are some examples of Royal Doulton backstamps from different eras. 

How Royal Doulton Figurines Are Made:  There are many people involved in the creation of each Royal Doulton figurine, beginning with the artist who meticulously transforms an image in his head, or a drawing of a figure on paper, into a three-dimensional sculpture with modeling clay. The sculptor creates the original clay model, paying meticulous attention to every line and detail, as this will determine the shape of the finished figure.  Plaster of Paris production moulds are then made from the original mould.  Up to 60 separate moulds can be used to make up one of the more complex figures.  Liquid clay or slip is poured into the moulds which, being porous, absorb moisture from the slip to leave a coating of clay inside.  When the various parts are set, they are carefully removed from the moulds and assembled by highly skilled figure-makers.  Each Royal Doulton figure is comprised of numerous parts.  For example, the Pretty Lady 

figure 'My Best Friend' has 13 pieces added to the body.  And, the prestige model of St. George and the Dragon has over 40 parts.  The models are assembled by using slip to fix each piece individually to the main body.  Every tiny seam is then removed by being brushed and sponged away by hand.  The figure is then placed in the kiln for the first or 'biscuit' firing at a temperature of 1250°F for 9 hours.  Every piece must be carefully positioned so it will be fired at exactly the right temperature.  As the moisture is removed during this first firing, the figure shrinks by about 12 percent.  After firing, the figure is dipped by hand into glaze (liquid glass) which has the consistency of cream.  It then receives a second firing, at 1060°F for 10 hours.  This gives the figure a shiny appearance.  The figure is now ready for decoration.  Several stages of painting are required to achieve the required colors and shades.  Many different colors and up to five separate firings at 850°F may be involved.  Faces are painted with fine brushes and delicate strokes, creating a character and expression unique to each figure.  The Royal Doulton backstamp is applied to the base of the figure prior to the last firing.

Bodies and Glazes:  The fair lady figures are made from bone china which is a traditionally British body, composed of China clay, Cornish stone and bone ash.  Most character figures are made from English Porcelain, a whiter colored body formerly known as English Translucent China, which was pioneered by Royal Doulton chemists in 1959.  Before the invention of English Porcelain, many Doulton figures were produced in an earthenware body, which is fired to a lower temperature than china and is more porous.  There are slight variations in size between figures made of earthenware and those made of porcelain and colors often look different on the two bodies.  Most Royal Doulton figures have a brilliant glossy glaze.  In the early 1970s, however, some matte figures were produced and the matte finish was also used for some limited edition subjects as it enhanced the intricate modeling and gave a distinctive effect.  A matte glazed black basalt body has been used more recently in the Images range of modern style sculpture.

How to Collect Royal Doulton Figurines:  There are numerous ways to collect Royal Doulton figurines depending on the areas of interest and taste of the collector.  Royal Doulton offers a wide variety of styles and subjects to choose from.

Collecting by Artist:  New collectors quickly gravitate towards a particular style of figure and often discover that they favor the work of a specific artist.  In the early years, the artist was acknowledged on the base of the figures and collectors could appreciate the diverse modeling skills of artists such as Charles Noke, Harry Tittensor and others.  After a gap of many years, this practice was revived in 1984 when the artist's facsimile signature was incorporated in the backstamp, making identification an easy as it had been previously.  The work of each Doulton artist has a distinctive quality, even though their figures might be classified with many others as 'fair ladies' or 'character studies.'  An experienced eye can quickly spot the difference between a Peggy Davies crinoline lady and one by Leslie Harradine.  Similarly, Mary Nicoll's nautical figures are quite distinct from Bill Harper's.  Each of these artists has a wide following and the scope for collecting their work is often vast and varied, particularly in the case of Peggy Davies, who produced about 250 figures in her 40 year career with Royal Doulton.  Grand Dezign offers a sizeable collection of figurines by various Royal Doulton designers, such as:  Charles Noke, Leslie Harradine, (Margaret) Peggy Davies, Mary Nicoll, Douglas V. Tootle, Eric Griffiths, William K. Harper, Robert Jefferson, Robert Tabbenor, Peter Gee, Pauline Parsons, Adrian Hughes, Nada Pedley, Alan Maslankowski and Valerie Annand.

Collecting by Period:  It has been said of Royal Doulton figures that they are a reflection of the times in which they are made.  Certainly, with many of the subjects, it is possible to attribute them to a particular period, based on costume, fabric designs and hair styles.  For the fashion conscious, it is possible to create a cat-walk of costumes through the ages from the Medieval period to the 21st century.  Some collectors focus exclusively on the styles of the 18th century costumes which were notable for their wide hooped skirts.  Other prefer Victorian dresses with their flounced skirts and frothy petticoats.

Collecting by Subject:  Royal Doulton figures can be collected and displayed beautifully in groups of related subjects such as: Child Studies, Pretty Ladies, Character Figures, Professions (such as Lawyer or Blacksmith), Middle-Eastern Men, the World of Entertainment, Ballet, Literature, Historical Figures, and many, many more . . .

Collecting by Size:  Royal Doulton has produced figurines in several sizes.  The M Series (Miniatures), represent a smaller version of some full size figurines.  The early M Series are about 3-4 inches in height.  In 1988 Royal Doulton revived the miniature series with figurines of 2 inches in height.  The average height of Royal Doulton lady figurines such as the Pretty Ladies, is about 8 inches.  Some Limited Edition figurines and Prestige Figures are made in larger sizes of 12, 14 or even 16 inches in height. 

Collecting by Series:  Some collectors enjoy collecting the figurines in series established by Royal Doulton with specific number of figurines in the series, such as Kate Greenaway Series,  Middle Earth, Queens of the Realm or Figures of Williamsburg.  Others may choose series such as Happy Birthday, Figure of the Year, etc.  Royal Doulton offers many series for various tastes.

Collecting by Limited Edition, Prestige Figures and Special Editions:  For collectors seeking extra special pieces, Royal Doulton has offered a collection of Prestige Figures.  New additions to this collection are added by Royal Doulton from time to time.

Collecting Colourways and Variations:  From the earliest days of the figures collection, some of the most popular models have been produced in alternative colourways, such as the Autumn Breezes.  For a period of time, the colourways production became less common.  However, the idea was revived during the 1980s and many of the popular Royal Doulton figures have since been produced in alternative color variations.