Royal Doulton in demand: collectors covet the many Doulton items available on thesaleroom.com

Hundreds of pieces by the factory are available to buy via thesaleroom.com in any given week at auctions across the UK at prices from £5 to over £5000.
Pictured here are some Doulton lots that are capturing bidders attention this week.

1. Doulton mice chess set

The anthropomorphic figure groups modelled by George Tinworth (1843-1913) for the Doulton Lambeth factory in the late 19th century rank among the best of all Victorian art pottery. In particular, Tinworth’s playful models of mice and frogs bike riding, horse racing, playing rugby or boating in Brighton are hugely popular. The mice chess set is a great rarity. Only a handful of these were made c.1885 and the few survivors appeal both to collectors of chess sets and to the many fans of Tinworth’s work. 

This set (the kings with the impressed mark GT) was last sold in September 2000 at Christie’s as part of a well-known collection of chess sets. It is reappearing for sale at Mallams in Oxford on December 5-6 with an estimate of £1000-2000. 

View this Doulton mice chess set on thesaleroom.com.

2. Doulton Art deco figure

This figure titled The Mask HN729 is one of a series of Art Deco style designs created by modeller Arthur 'Leslie' Harradine in the mid 1920s. Despite some damage (a broken and re-glued arm), it is hard to find in any condition. The estimate at Gorringes in Lewes on December 3 is £150-200.

The HN series range of figures, launched by Royal Doulton’s Staffordshire factory in 1913 with 20 different models numbered from HN1 to HN20, now numbers into the thousands. Most remain very affordable. 

However, there is a vibrant collecting market for rarities and particularly the figures from the pre-war era made in relatively small numbers or in unusual colourways (the term used to describe the different combinations of colours used to decorate a figure). This figure titled The Mask HN729 is one of a series of Art Deco style designs created by modeller Arthur 'Leslie' Harradine in the mid 1920s. Despite some damage (a broken and re-glued arm), it is hard to find in any condition. The estimate at Gorringes in Lewes on December 3 is £150-200. 

View this Art deco Doulton figure on thesaleroom.com.

3. Doulton figures of Henry VIII and his Six Wives

These seven HN series figures depicting Henry VIII and his Six Wives have an estimate of £300-500 at Bolton Auction Rooms on December 2.

These seven HN series figures depicting Henry VIII and his Six Wives are from a much later period. 

They were modelled by Pauline Parsons in 1994 and produced in a (relatively large) edition of 9500 units. This set comes with its original packaging, including certificates of authenticity documenting the edition number, with an estimate of £300-500 at Bolton Auction Rooms on December 2. View the Henry VIII Doulton figures on thesaleroom.com.

4. Doulton Churchill jug

This large jug modelled as Winston Churchill is estimated at £80-120 at Kingham & Orme on December 6-7.

Some of the most desirable Royal Doulton character jugs are those made as factory prototypes. This large jug modelled as Winston Churchill includes a special backstop reading The Property of Royal Doulton Tableware Ltd Not Produced for Sale. With some small differences from the production model issued in 1992, the estimate at Kingham & Orme of Evesham on December 6-7 is £80-120. View this Doulton Winston Churchill jug on thesaleroom.com.

5. Doulton stoneware oil lamp

This oil lamp c.1881, offered at Toovey’s in Washington, West Sussex on December 5, combines the talents of modeller Mark V Marshall and decorator Emma Martin. It is estimated at £200-300.

The popularity of the Doulton stoneware peaked in the 1890s when about 370 artists were employed at Lambeth. This oil lamp c.1881, offered at Toovey’s in Washington, West Sussex on December 5, combines the talents of modeller Mark V Marshall and decorator Emma Martin. The oil reservoir, with four incised panels of bats and owls amongst foliage, is mounted in a gilt metal stand that would have been made outside of the factory. Marshall, who signed this piece with the monogram MVM, worked at Doulton from 1878 to 1912 producing some of the firm’s most imaginative wares. Estimate £200-300. View this Doulton stoneware oil lamp on thesaleroom.com.

6. Doulton Lambeth stoneware

These two pieces of Doulton Lambeth stoneware are decorated by sisters Hannah and Florence Barlow they are estimated at £350-450 at Gorringes in Lewes on December 3.

These two pieces of Doulton Lambeth stoneware are decorated by two well-known graduates of the Lambeth School of Art - sisters Hannah and Florence Barlow. Generally, Florence specialised in painting flowers and birds, and Hannah in horses and other animals but the pair sometimes worked together on individual pieces. Both favoured the sgraffito technique of incising designs into wet clay.

The jug incised with deer by Florence Barlow and mounted with silver rim hallmarked 1878 while the three-handled tyg decorated with cattle is by Hannah Barlow. The handle to the jug is restuck which will markedly affect its value. 

The estimate at Gorringes in Lewes on December 3 is £350-450. View these Doulton Lambeth Barlow stoneware items on thesaleroom.com.