The HN number on a Royal Doulton piece refers to a specific system the company has used to catalogue its works. The HN stands for “Harry Nixon,” who was a lead artist at Royal Doulton. This system began in 1912 to keep track of and uniquely identify the different designs.
Each piece produced by Royal Doulton is assigned a unique HN number that denotes its design, and often these numbers can be used to determine the approximate date a piece was created, among other things. Early pieces have hand written HN numbers. The HN number is usually found on the base of the piece alongside the Royal Doulton backstamp.
Harry Nixon (1886-1955) began his illustrious career with Doulton around 1900 as a general artist, and swiftly became a pivotal figure in the company’s history. His collaborative efforts with Charles Noke on the decoration of flambe ware, along with the Chang and Sung art ware during the early 1900s, significantly contributed to the aesthetic innovation at Royal Doulton during that period. However, Nixon’s enduring legacy chiefly rests upon his transformative role in figurine painting at Nile St. He was the visionary behind the inception of the ‘HN’ series numbers on figurines, a cataloging system which began with HN 1 ‘Darling’ introduced in 1913, that aimed at systematically identifying each unique design. This numbering system not only recognizes Nixon’s indispensable role in the production of these cherished figurines but also provides a glimpse into the extensive and diverse array of designs that emerged from the Royal Doulton ateliers under his aegis. Through his artistic acumen and organizational foresight, Harry Nixon played an instrumental role in propelling Royal Doulton’s figurines to a venerable status among collectors and ceramics enthusiasts alike.

HN1 refers to “Darling,” which was the first figure in the HN collection. This figure depicts a little boy in his nightclothes and was introduced in 1913. The HN series, developed under the supervision of Harry Nixon (hence the “HN” designation), became a defining characteristic of Royal Doulton, and the numbering system is used to catalog and identify individual pieces within their vast and varied collections. The “Darling” figure marked the beginning of a long and successful tradition of Royal Doulton figurines, each characterized by its unique design, artistry, and craftsmanship.
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