Maria Longworth Nichols Storer founded Rookwood Pottery in 1880 as a way to market her hobby – the painting of blank tableware.
Flirty Thirties – Sophistication And Elegance – Dolls in The 1930s by Sue Brewer Lights! Camera! Action! This was the decade of the movie idol. People from all walks of life filled cinemas to watch glamorous actors and actresses on the big screen, escaping everyday worries as they drifted on a sea of music and romance. Stars became household names – though, unlike today’s celebrities, managing to retain their mystique in a waft of fur, satin, diamonds and aloofness. 1930 opened with a literal high for women when Amy Johnson became the first female aviator to fly solo from England to Australia. Sadly, the year ended with a tragic aviation low when the airship R101, on its inaugural flight from England to India, crashed in France, exploding in flames with a loss of 48 lives. The early years of the decade were a combination of emotions as light-hearted young people danced the night away to jazzy music, contrasting with despair and poverty faced by millions as the Depression, following the earlier U.S. Wall Street Crash, hit home. Characterised by instability, with changes of governments, unrest amongst lower-paid workers and, amazingly, three kings in one year (1936), the Thirties were turbulent times. Germany was proving a constant threat, and a sense of unease permeated the atmosphere – this was sensed even in the fashion industry, where clothing became more simple and casual, as though preparing women for the lean times ahead. Even so, it certainly wasn`t all doom and gloom. A magnificent 1000 ft. liner, the ‘Queen Mary’, was launched in 1934; cruising was the height of fashion amongst the upper classes, and this magnificent ship with its Art Deco design, was deservedly popular. Sophisticated, elegant and stylish, just like her passengers, she summed up the very best of the decade. On her maiden cruise she arrived in New York to find the harbour filled with a welcoming armada and cheering crowds lining the shore. Millionaires, dukes, heiresses and, of course, film stars, adored the ship – this was the height of luxury and style. The rising movie culture was enthusiastically embraced, and elaborate cinemas with velvet seats and plush fittings were built at a frenzied pace. Soon it seemed that every town had its own ‘Picture Palace’ where audiences could lose themselves in a fantasy world. This was the era of Busby Berkely, a choreographer who directed amazing dance routines featuring dozens of feather-clad performers, and many films featured song and dance numbers. Glamorous stars such as Marlene Dietrich, Errol Flynn, Fred Astaire, Greta Garbo and Mae West made the cinema the place to be, while ‘The Wizard of Oz’ starring a young Judy Garland, was released in 1939, just one of the many classic movies which appeared during the decade. Two years earlier, Disney had produced his first-ever full-length cartoon, ‘Snow White’, allowing companies such as Chad Valley to make stunning commemorative dolls. Additionally, a golden-haired tot called Shirley Temple became such a cinema cult that she was created in doll-form to thrill both British and American girls alike, while sassy cartoon star, Betty Boop, was such a hit that she is still adored today. By the mid-thirties, composition had largely overtaken bisque as the best medium for doll manufacture, and while many dolls made by this method were almost as beautiful as their elegant bisque forbears, others were much more crude with slapdash face painting and basic moulding. Some of the bisque manufacturers switched to composition, while new companies evolved, keen to take advantage of the fashion for a medium which didn`t require firing in hot kilns. America had a particularly extensive doll industry at this time and amongst the classic dolls developed were Dy-Dee, Patsy and Shirley Temple. The first Shirley Temple dolls appeared in the shops in 1934, sporting a red and white spotted dress resembling the outfit the little girl wore in ‘Stand Up and Cheer’. The dolls were made by Ideal, using a kind of wood-pulp composition, and their success ensured that Shirley Temple dolls would continue to be produced for several years, wearing costumes from her various films. Additionally, extra outfits and accessories could be purchased, including a beautiful dolls pram. Composition Shirley Temple dolls were finally discontinued in 1939 as interest had waned. Nevertheless, in the late 1950s, a combination of nostalgia plus new interest in Shirley, led Ideal to release an updated range, this time using modern vinyl. Today, Shirley Temple dolls are still produced for collectors by companies such as Danbury Mint. In Britain, Cascelloid experimented making baby dolls from a material they called ‘Plastex’, which was a glue-reinforced unbreakable composition, while companies such as D. G. Todd, British National Dolls and Pedigree produced various composition dolls to a fairly basic design. These were the dolls which would later prove such comfort to children huddled in air-raid shelters, or, alternatively, be the one reminder of home to a child taken to the safety of the countryside, parted from her mother. Britain – in fact the world – was rocked in 1936 when Edward VIII, renounced his throne in order to marry American heiress Wallis Simpson. She was divorced, and so was unable to become queen. In a broadcast at the time, Edward declared that he could not carry on ‘without the help and support of the woman I love`. Instead, Edward`s brother reigned as George VI, and his delightful wife Elizabeth became universally loved, later becoming affectionately known as ‘The Queen Mum’. Before the 1939 hostilities began, the decade was an elegant age, with evening wear influenced by the slinky, sparkly gowns worn by stars such as Ginger Rogers, who whirled around the dance floors in the arms of Fred Astaire. Women embraced a feminine, curvy look, simple by daytime and stunning by night. Schiaparelli, the classic Italian designer, promoted the zip fastener which at the time had been scarcely used in fashionable clothing. At last, it was unnecessary to employ a maid to do up all those hooks […]
Charles Hardin Holley was born in Lubbock, Texas to Lawrence Odell Holley and Ella Pauline Drake on Labor Day, in 1936. The Holleys were a musical family and as a young boy Holley learned to play piano, guitar and violin (his brothers oiled the strings so much that no one could hear him play.) Pictured left: Buddy Holly – A Gold Record award, circa late 1950s, for Buddy Holly’s Peggy Sue. Presented in a glass enclosed, green velvet frame. 12 x 12 in. (30.4 x 30.4 cm.) sold for $11,875 against an estimate of $3,000 – $4,000 at Christies rock and pop memorabilia auction, 30 November 2007, New York, Rockefeller Plaza. He was always known as Buddy to his family. In 1949 Buddy made a recording of Hank Snow’s ‘My Two-Timin’ Woman’ on a wire recorder “borrowed” by a friend who worked in a music shop (not, as is often reported, a home tape recorder)[citation needed], his first known recording. During the fall of that year he met Bob Montgomery in Hutchinson Junior High School. They shared a common interest in music and soon teamed up as the duo “Buddy and Bob.” Initially influenced by bluegrass music, they sang harmony duets at local clubs and high school talent shows. In Lubbock, Holly attended Hutchinson Junior High School, which has a mural honoring him, and Lubbock High School, which has numerous features to honor the late musician. His musical interests grew throughout high school while singing in the Lubbock High School Choir. Autographs of Buddy Holly and The Crickets, in blue biro on a piece of paper additionally inscribed The Crickets, mounted with colour picture, 26.5 x 18cm (10½ x 7in) overall Sold for £478 at Bonhams – Rock and Roll and Film Memorabilia, 16 Nov 2004, Knightsbridge, London. Holly turned to rock music after seeing Elvis Presley sing live in Lubbock in early 1955. A few months later on October 15, he opened on the same bill with Presley, also in Lubbock, catching the eye of a Nashville talent scout. Holly’s transition to rock continued when he opened for Bill Haley & His Comets at a local rock show organized by Eddie Crandall, who was also the manager for Marty Robbins. Buddy Holly – An ivory linen-effect two-piece stage suit, the jacket with deep patch pockets, the inside edge of the cuff on the right-hand sleeve showing signs of wear [presumably from playing the guitar]; the loose-fitting trousers with front pleats and narrow turn-ups, the right-hand trouser pocket inscribed inside in blue ballpoint pen, in an unidentified hand, Buddy Holly; accompanied by two corresponding black and white machine-print photographs of Holly on stage during the 1957 U.S. Tour (printed later), 11x16in.(28×40.2cm.) and 11x14in. (28×35.6cm.) sold for £10,575 at Christies pop and collectable guitars, 26 April 2001 London, South Kensington As a result of this performance, Holly was offered a contract with D ecca Records to work alone, which he accepted. According to the Amburn book, his public name changed from “Holley” to “Holly” on 8 February 1956, when the Decca contract he signed misspelled his last name. That spelling was then adopted for his professional career. Among the tracks recorded for Decca was an early version of “That’ll Be The Day”, which took its title from a phrase that John Wayne’s character said repeatedly in the 1956 film, The Searchers. Decca wouldn’t publish his recordings, though, and dropped his contract. But they also insisted he could not record the same songs for anyone else for five years. An autographed Buddy Holly and The Crickets UK Tour programme, 1958, the back cover signed in blue and black ballpoints by all three and the front additionally signed in blue ballpoint by Buddy Holly sold for £1,140 at Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia auction, 18 Jun 2008 Back in Lubbock, Holly formed his own band, although at that time it had no name and would only later be called The Crickets and began recording at Norman Petty’s studios in Clovis, New Mexico. Norman had music industry contacts and believing that “That’ll Be the Day” would be a hit single, he contacted publishers and labels. Brunswick Records, a subsidiary of Decca, signed The Crickets. Soon after, they signed Holly as a solo artist on another Decca subsidiary Coral Records. This put Holly in the unusual position of having two record contracts at the same time. Before “That’ll Be The Day” had its nationwide release, Holly played lead guitar on the single “Starlight”, recorded in April 1957, featuring Jack Huddle. The initial, unsuccessful version of “That’ll Be The Day” played more slowly and about half an octave higher than the hit version. Holly managed to bridge some of the racial divide that marked rock n’ roll music. While Elvis made black music more acceptable to whites, Holly won over an all-black audience when the Crickets were booked at New York’s Apollo Theater (though, unlike the immediate response depicted in the 1978 movie The Buddy Holly Story, it actually took several performances for his talents to be appreciated). Buddy Holly’s electric guitar and amplifier, the 1953 Gibson Les Paul ‘gold-top’ model with maple top, mahogany back, neck and headstock, rosewood fingerboard with crown markers, Kluson machineheads with plastic tulip pegs, P90 pickups, trapeze wrapover tailpiece, in original Gibson case; and a Gibson Les Paul model ‘G’ amplifier, original Jensen speaker, Buddy Holley scratched into bacj from Bonham’s Rock n’ Roll & Film Memorabilia including James Bond, 16 Nov 2005, Knightsbridge. After the release of several highly successful songs in 1958, Holly and the Crickets toured Australia in January and later the United Kingdom. That same year, he met Maria Elena Santiago (born 1935 in San Juan, Puerto Rico) while she was working as a receptionist for Peer-Southern Music, a New York music publisher. According to a romanticised version of the truth encouraged by Maria Elena, he proposed to her on their very first date. She initially thought he was kidding, but they were married in Lubbock on […]
Of all the varieties of china manufactured by the firm of W. H. Goss, the cottages and other small buildings have probably the greatest appeal. They are accurately modelled, of a fine translucent body, well decorated and are not disfigured by a transfer crest. It is these two latter criteria which are used, quite arbitrarily, to define the term ‘cottage’ in this article. Pictured: Three W H Goss Cottages including the First and Last House in England, small with green door, Shakespeare’s House, small full length, one chimney damaged, and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. Estimate £100-£150. Image Copyright Bonhams. Plain white pieces, whether parian, or glazed with a crest, have not been included. Thus the series of lighthouses has been omitted, as have any uniformly coloured buildings. It was in 1883, just over 20 years after the founding of the firm of W. H. Goss, that the well-known heraldic china was introduced, with an eye to catching the popular market, although the more costly jewelled china and parian ware continued to be manufactured. So successful was this venture that, about 1893, Goss started a new line for his wider public, which was apparently an immediate success. This consisted initially of models of three cottages, Ann Hathaway’s, Burns’, and Shakespeare’s. Pictured: A WH Goss model of Robert Burns’ cottage. Estimate £60-£80. Image Copyright Bonhams. Perhaps, at this point, there seemed little need to increase the range, and new models were at first very slow in being issued. The Manx cottage and the ‘Window in Thrums’ were issued about 1898, and in 1908 a further model, of the First and Last House at Land’s End, was produced. All these models were produced in two sizes, the larger being designed to be used as a nightlight. The choice of subject was intended to make as wide an appeal as possible and was mainly confined to well-known tourist attractions, though Goss’s liter ary interest is evident throughout, and models associated with Shakespeare, Dickens, Johnson, Wordsworth, Barry, Thomas Hardy and Izaak Walton are included. The period from 1910 to 1915 was one of intense activity, and no less than 15 new models were announced. These, as the earlier ones, are distinguished by having a registered design number, a practice which was discontinued in July 1914. The firm’s fortune started to decline during the First World War, but new models continued to be issued. As a group these were labelled ‘Copyright’, until about 1922, when any reference to protection of the design was omitted, although all the models were clearly labelled with the name W. H. Goss and the trademark, the Goss hawk, a kind of falcon which was taken from the family crest. In addition, every model bears a brief inscription as a form of identification. Some, particularly the earlier models, also bear an impressed mark, W. H. Goss, but this is not, as has been suggested, a reliable method of dating. A collection of eleven W H Goss cottages, early 20th century – Comprising two large cottages ‘Model of Burns’ Cottage’, 14.5cm wide, and ‘Model of Shakespeare’s House’, 18.5cm wide,and nine smaller examples ‘Ann Hathaway’s Cottage’, ‘Charles Dicken’s House’, ‘Prince Llewelyn’s House Beddgelert’, ‘Rt. Hon D Lloyd George’s early home Criccieth’, ‘St. Nicholas Chapel, Lantern Hill, Ilfracombe’, ‘A Window in Thrums’, ‘Old Maids’ Cottage at Lee, Devon’, ‘The House at Lichfield in which Dr Samuel Johnson was born’ and ‘Model of oven in which Goss porcelain is fired’, printed black marks. Estimate £800-£1000. Image Copyright Bonhams. The exact date of issue of the pieces is by no means easy to establish. As long as the registered design numbers were used, it is quite straightforward to find the approximate first date of issue. From 1914, the only evidence readily available is from the Goss Records, which were small catalogues listing all the so-called ‘special models’, covering heraldic ware as well as cottages, parian busts and many other types. The last two editions of these Records were issued in 1914 and 1921 with a slim supplement in 1918, so that any exact dating is impossible from the simple list of new models that was issued. The 1921 Record, for example, lists six models as being in preparation, but for the last six, no documentary evidence is available. The lists given here represent an attempt to place the models roughly in order according to the first date of issue. With the exception of the last piece, John Knox’s house, it is likely that all the models were issued well before the firm sold out in 1929. The buyer had also acquired several other china firms, together with their moulds, and a num ber of their products were issued, marked with the Goss trademark, which had a well-deserved reputation for quality. As regards the cottages, these were mainly very inferior models of Shakespeare’s and Ann Hathaway’s cottages, in various sizes, crudely coloured and bearing the original Goss transfer label. John Knox’s house, how ever, having no counterpart in the for mer range, bears the later style of trade mark, ‘W. H. Goss, England’, which applied to new designs after 1929. Although, as the lists show, there are only about 40 different subjects, my own collection comprises about 115 recognisably different varieties, either Because of different size, different colour, or depending on whether the models are matt or glazed. For example, of the first 17 subjects listed, that is, of those first issued up to about 1912, 15 are found both glazed and unglazed. The Newquay Look-out House, being akin to a lighthouse, and having little colour ing, is invariably glazed, while the First and Last Post Office has so far not been seen glazed, although it may well exist. None of the subsequent subjects has been found in the glazed state and it is postulated, with some supporting evi dence, that all models were issued glazed for a limited period around 1912. The glaze has the effect of protecting the paint, so that the glazed models are normally found in outstanding […]
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea a cult classic and we take a look at some of the Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea collectibles, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea merchandise and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea toys that have appeared over the years. We also look at some auction results and some guide prices. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea first appeared as a film from 1961 that tells the story of the crew of the submarine Seaview as they battle against a giant sea monster. It later appeared as a cult classic TV series that aired in the 1960s (running from 1964-1968). The show followed the adventures of the crew of the submarine USS Seaview as they battled villains and explored the depths of the oceans. The Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea toys and merchandise that have been released over the years are highly sought after by collectors. Some of the most popular Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea collectibles include the Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea action figures released by Mattel in 1964. These Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea toys are highly detailed and feature articulated limbs, making them a favorite among collectors. Over the years, there have been various Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea collectibles, toys and merchandise items produced. These include action figures, model kits, lunch boxes, t-shirts, comics and more. Other popular Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea collectibles include Irwin Allen’s Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea trading cards, which were released in 1964. These cards feature photos and information about the Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea tv show and movie. These appear to be quite rare in sets and high graded cards are available for upwards of $10 each card. There were 66 cards in the set. A set of 66 in good condition is estimated at $350-$500. Some of the more popular Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea collectibles include the Mego action figures which were produced in the 1970s. These are highly sought after by collectors and can fetch high prices at auction. Gold Key created a series of 16 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea comics from 1964 to 1968. Gold Key Comics was known for their adaptions of popular television shows and movies, and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was no exception. The comics were written by a variety of different writers and artists, giving each issue its own unique feel. The TV Series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea is a 1960s American science fiction television series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea TV Series created and produced by Irwin Allen. The show starred Richard Basehart and David Hedison. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was originally broadcast on ABC from September 14, 1964, to March 31, 1968. During its run, it was one of the most popular shows on American television. It was cancelled after its fourth season due to low ratings. However, it remains a cult classic and has been syndicated in many countries since its original run. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was inspired by the success of Allen’s film The Lost World (1960). Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea’s premise is similar to that of Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. In Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, however, rather than a submarine Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea’s protagonists use a state-of-the-art nuclear submarine, the Seaview, to investigate strange occurrences and fight evil forces. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was also notable for its time for being one of the first television series to be shot in color. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea’s theme song, “The Voyage”, was composed by Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea’s musical director, Leonard Rosenman. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea’s opening credits sequence featured footage from Allen’s film Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet (1965). What to collect? If you are thinking of starting a Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea collection, then there are a few things you should consider. First of all, you need to decide what items you want to collect. There is a wide range of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea collectibles available, so it is important to narrow down your focus. Once you have decided on the type of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea collectibles you want to collect, you need to do some research. This will help you to find out what items are available and how much they are worth. Collecting Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea collectibles can be a fun and rewarding hobby. It is important to remember, however, that these items can be valuable investments. So, it is important to do your research before you start buying Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea collectibles. Related The Time Tunnel Collectibles
Britain is a nation of gardeners; I’ve heard that 80% of houses in Britain have private gardens, covering an area twice as large as Surrey. That’s fifteen million gardens in our green and pleasant land. Every weekend sees thousands of us making our way to garden centres, where we choose plants, bulbs, seeds and sundries to try to make our garden beautiful. Slugs, aphids and caterpillars eat most of them, but gardeners are a tolerant bunch – it’s not just the plants, it’s the general feeling of well-being and of feeling at one with nature which urges us to plunge our hands into the soil to embed yet another plant into the ground. Pictured right: Alpine Strawberry by Roy Kirkham plate Some of us build conservatories, or maybe garden shelters, so that we can use the garden as an extension of our homes even when the weather is inclement. We dot ornaments around the flower beds, nesting boxes and insect homes along the garden walls and we build ponds and fountains so birds can bathe. When we dine in the garden, we use floral plates, butterfly-decorated glasses, flowery cutlery – and all these things can be deemed collectable, whether you use vintage pieces or go for modern or retro designs. Even if you don’t have a garden, you can still create a garden feel indoors by collecting items with a floral or naturalistic theme. I’ve known people who have created an indoor garden by displaying pretty flowered plates against white wall-mounted trellis and hanging a few indoor plants to enhance the effect. Another way of ‘garden collecting’ is to collect old gardening items, from tools to seed packets, and from statues to lawnmowers. The most obvious choice for garden collectables is probably the well-known ‘Botanic Garden’ range of tableware made by Portmeirion pottery. Portmeirion, though, have produced many other beautiful designs which would look stunning at an alfresco meal. Pictured right: 1980s Portmeirion British Birds One of my personal favourites is the ‘British Birds’ design, based on illustrations from the Natural History of British Birds by Edward Donovan, published in 1794. Forty birds were featured in the collection, and because the designs are in a antiquated style the pieces have a timeless quality about them, which is probably why they have remained in production for so long. This pattern was originally conceived in 1974, and sadly is not now sold in Britain, though is still available in America. I acquired my items in the 1980s when visiting the shop in Portmeirion village, but pieces do crop up at collector’s fairs. Pictured left: Portmeirion Strawberry Fair I’m also very fond of the ‘Strawberry Fair’ decoration – perfect for serving scones on a summer’s day – and the ‘Pomona’ design of varieties of fruits. There are many other Portmeirion designs with a ‘garden’ theme, amongst them the recent ‘Hungry Caterpillar’ which is based on the popular picture book by Eric Carle. Incidentally, if you are visiting North Wales, do try to visit the village of Portmeirion. The pottery isn’t made there, though there is a shop selling the current range – but the village is stunningly quirky. It’s as though a slice of a sleepy Italian village has been deposited on a beautiful stretch of Welsh coastline; it’s a restful place and one of my all-time special spots. Pictured right: Meakin Poppy Jug 1960s Many ranges of tableware from the 1960s and 70s employed the flower motif – these were the days of flower power. Think Meakin, for the delicate pink floral ‘Filigree’ design, or the more bold ‘Poppy’, while ‘Topic’, with its blue stylised flowers is classic 60s elegance. Even more stylised is the swirling 1960s ‘Spanish Garden’ from Midwinter, while their ‘Country Garden’, with its pattern of leaves and buds symmetrically curling from either side of a large blue and pink flower, is beautiful. It would be impossible to mention all the floral ranges – practically every manufacturer of tableware has included a floral design at one time – but they range from delicate chintz type patterns to vibrant, bold roses. Pictured left: 1960s Meakin Filigree & Viners Love Story Floral china is perfect for a meal in the garden on a summer’s day, and can be themed with pretty cutlery, such as the 1960s’ Viner’s ‘Love Story’ which bears a design of tiny silver daisies. Don’t forget glasses; there are plenty of beautiful designs to look out for, both vintage and modern, featuring flowers, leaves or butterflies. You could look out for a suitable vintage tablecloth, too – ‘lazy daisy’ stitch was very popular in the 1930s, 40s and 50s and will complement your garden theme. If you’re worried about risking your treasured china in the garden, then there are plenty of modern plastic pieces around – and some, such as the gorgeous retro sixties floral designs which Asda came up not so long ago, might even become future classics! As well as tablecloths, other fabric items can be used outside including cushions, throws and canopies; look out for vintage patterns, such as the large-flowered round-petalled daisy types from the 1960s and the bold flowered orange and deep green 1970s’ designs. It’s best, though, to bring them in at night as they could get damp, and also not to keep them in the sunlight for too long, in case they fade. Floral handbags and scarves, or wicker shopping baskets and hampers look good artlessly dotted around at a garden party or a get-together. They add an element of fun, and are a great way of displaying a collection of traditional or retro items. I’m a Simon Drew fan – he is an artist with a quirky sense of humour. He’s based at Dartmouth where he has a shop and gallery, and many of his designs are based on puns such as a ‘receding hare’ or ‘joined up whiting’. Some of his garden themes, including ‘Incapability Brown’ have been featured in a range of ‘bug proof’ mugs. They come […]
Have you considered complementing your doll collection with picture postcards? There are thousands of designs available, and as they take up so little room, you won’t get guilt feelings each time you buy another. Picture postcards became popular in the 1890s, reaching their peak in the early 1900s, up to the end of the first world war, but even today, millions of cards are sent each year. In the days before telephones were commonplace, a postcard was the ideal medium for sending a quick message, and in Britain it was possible to post a card in the morning inviting a friend to tea the same day, and they would receive the message in plenty of time. Today, of course, it can take several days for a card to reach its destination, and so the cakes would turn stale and the tea grow cold and stewed before the invitation reached your friend. Cards served the same purpose for which we now use the phone, text message or email; they enabled people to keep in touch by brief communications. Nowadays we mainly tend to send picture postcards when we are on holiday, but at one time they were used for many different purposes including birthday, Easter and Christmas greetings – it wasn’t until the late 1940s that the folded greetings card became the norm. As you form your collection, you will no doubt discover that the majority of dolly cards you accumulate are of the greetings type. Dolls made an excellent prop for a child to hold, or even as a decoration to enhance a vase of flowers, and they featured quite extensively. They were used to increase the appeal of images of puppies, kittens, babies and beautiful young women, and also appeared in drawings and cartoons. A doll was a perfect subject for a child’s birthday card, and, in an era which was unashamed of showing sentimental feelings, dolls appeared alongside poems and ballads which are usually too sugary for today’s sophisticated tastes. All these, of course, are gems for today’s collector of doll-related postcards. One particularly popular theme is a praying child, kneeling at the side of the bed, with her (or sometimes his) dolls arranged neatly alongside, all ‘praying’ too. This image occasionally appears with a verse: Please God do make my dollies good They’ve been so naughty all today. I think I heard you say you could If I would teach them how to pray. I make them kneel with hands right up And say their prayers after me But Susan prays best on her head She breaks if Mother bends her knee. Many of the cards are photographs, usually sepia in tone, and, as well as being attractive, are particularly important to doll collectors because they make it possible to identify the doll depicted; something which can’t generally be done with any degree of certainty in a drawing. Extra interest can be added to a display when a doll is seated next to a postcard depicting the same kind of doll, especially if you dress your example in similar style to the doll shown on the card. Postcards can serve a practical purpose too. They are a visual guide to the types of dolls and the clothes they wore, as well as a guide to the fashions in children’s wear. Many of the boys depicted on the cards appear far older than their years due to their style of dress – thick formal jackets, long trousers, waistcoats and high collars. Some of the dresses worn by the little girls are delightful, with plenty of frothy lace and frills. No doubt today’s modern tot would turn her nose up in disdain if she was made to wear such a garment, which is why it’s fun to find modern examples showing 2000’s children with their dolls to add to your collection. It isn’t easy, though! However, a good start is to look through modern holiday postcards in the hope that a child and her doll was playing on the beach or walking along the prom when the photo was taken. Postcards can also be used as provenance – if the cards are dated, postmarked or stamped, it means that the doll shown on the front can be authenticated – it could be earlier than the date on the card, but will never be later. For example, if you had been told that a certain type of doll was not issued until 1927, but you come across a postcard featuring that doll and bearing a stamp franked with a postmark of two years before, you can be certain that the doll must have been made in 1925 at the latest – and maybe before. Cards add to our knowledge as well as providing a slice of social history; when telephones became more popular during the 1930s and 40s, they featured alongside dolls, as did motorcars, radios and televisions. A slightly different, but important, genre, are those postcards sold at doll museums and exhibitions which are basically straight depictions of dolls without flowery trimmings, pretty children, kittens or roses. These are useful as identification aids. Frequently, messages on the backs of the cards make interesting reading, even though you do get a feeling of eavesdropping. Early holiday cards often say that the sender is ‘having a grand time’; but later, ‘grand’ is substituted by the more modern term ‘lovely’. Some people didn’t like the thought of the postman reading their private mail, so they wrote the messages upside-down. Others alternated the lines of writing, wrote crossways or even used a code. At first, postcards cost a halfpenny (in old money) to send inland, which rose in 1918 to a penny. In 1940 it was doubled. Now of course, it costs 23p to send a postcard (2nd class delivery). It is amusing to see the oh-so-casual way which children treat their dolls on the cards, especially when you realise that the doll depicted is now classed as a collector’s item, not […]
We all know the Whimsies and other small ornaments produced by Wade, but during the fifties, sixties and seventies, the company also issued a huge range of unusual, often downright eccentric products, very much of their time. Pipe Rests, for example – when was the last time you saw someone smoking a pipe? Yet even in the seventies, it was a very manly occupation, especially amongst older men, whose idea of comfort was to sit by the fire, dressed in a baggy knitted cardigan, corduroy slacks and a pair of comfy slippers, pipe in hand. Wade made a series of pipe rests, each decorated with a china dog, and they continued to be made until the early1980s. Presumably, they were deemed ‘manly’ at the time, but nowadays, the pipe rests just look quaint. They are becoming harder to find as collectors begin to home in on nostalgia. Each light-green pipe rest consisted of a circular base approximately 3 inches in diameter, and the pipe fitted neatly into the hollow of the base with the stem resting in a groove. The dogs included a Cairn, Alsatian, Red Setter, Yorkshire Terrier and a Corgi. The Yorkie and Corgi seem to be more difficult to find than the other four in the set.Dogs must have been very popular then, as another range produced by Wade at the same time also featured dogs, with just one token cat. This range were little dishes known as pin-trays, and were in the shape of dog baskets, each containing a puppy. Although most of these are easy to find, there are a couple which are rarer, and collectors will probably need to pay around £20 for these if they want to complete the set. The cat, though, often turns up. In all there were eleven baskets, glazed in muted shades of brown and beige, measuring 3 x 2 inches. Puppy breeds included were the young of the dogs on the Pipe Rests, and each can be found either standing or lying. The colouration depended on the breed; honey, dark brown, red-brown or grey and brown, and the features were highlighted in brown. Each little dog was well-detailed – often, these Wade models aren’t appreciated until closely examined. The cat – a light brown tabby, 2 inches high, seems to tower over the puppies. His basket is a rich chocolate brown rather than the beige/grey of the dogs. He sits bolt upright, and sometimes has startling green eyes, though frequently they are pale. A cat also features in one of the most beautiful dishes which Wade has ever produced. This little hanging plaque/dish, first issued on the late 1950s, measures just over 3 inches across, and portrays a pointed, Siamese-type face, large blue side-glancing eyes and a benign expression. The realistically moulded fur follows the contours of the face. Wade collectors easily recognise the unmistakable, high-gloss glaze in a mix of blue and beige, which featured on so many pieces from this era. The items gleam when they are polished with a soft cloth, and are a joy. It seems fashionable to look down on fifties and sixties Wade at the moment, but some of these pieces are stunning, in both design and colouring. A companion piece to the cat face dish was the Pekinese dog dish, using the same colourway. Other dishes include an attractive angel fish and a bloater, again using this glaze, while, continuing the seaside theme, the Starfish pin tray is a pretty and easily found item. This six-armed creature has intricate details in the modelling. The striking blue/beige finish was used to great effect on many Wade items, many of which today’s collectors think of as classic pieces, and which are still very affordable. This colouring is eye-catching yet subtle. One of my favourite pieces is the neat and compact Crab Box, a particularly tactile item. Measuring just under 4 inches across, this little box is in two halves, with the crab’s shell lifting off to reveal a trinket dish beneath. The legs of the crab tuck neatly at the sides with two large pincers at the front, while the shell is beautifully moulded with spots and bumps, recreating the pitted texture of a crab. Crab Boxes sell today for around £20 – an absolute bargain for such a well-designed item! Other Wade trinket boxes include the Hedgehog Dish and the Treasure Chest, both in a honey/brown glaze. The Hedgehog’s spiny back lifts off disclosing a shallow tray beneath, while the Chest is a more conventional square box. Expect to pay £20 for the Hedgehog and £10 for the more easily obtained Treasure Chest. One of the easiest quirky items to find is the ubiquitous Viking Ship, which also utilises the blue/beige glaze. This is another Wade classic piece and seems to turn up everywhere. Consequently it is often treated with disdain, yet the modelling on this graceful ship is exceptional; it has a dragon’s head at one end, a dragon’s tail at the other, and a row of six circular shields decorating the hull, with the planking clearly marked out. There are even moulded waves. The ship measures 7 inches from prow to stern and can be also be found in deep-brown patterned with either blue or green. Originally, the Viking Ship was sold as a vase, but it is just perfect as a small ornament. First issued in 1959, it was withdrawn in 1965, and reissued during the 1970s. Vases featured prominently in Wade’s range of products, amongst them, as you might expect, several unusual ones – for instance, not many companies would have thought to issue a small posy vase bearing a figurine of a chimpanzee! The vase is shaped like a green tree trunk, with a 2 inch high dark grey chimp, in a typical scratching-under-the-arm type pose, standing to one side. In similar vein is the Koala Posy Vase which has a 1 inch beige black-nosed koala perched rather uncomfortably on a small branch.The vase itself is just an […]
I only discovered Oiva Toikka recently when visiting a glass gallery in Chester (Pyramid Glass) which had a display Birds by Toikka and was immediately struck with the design, colour, variety and ingenuity of the birds. This feature focuses on the Birds by Toikka but I hope to feature further articles on his other glass designs, other work and a Birds by Toikka price guide. Oiva Toikka (1931-2019) was born in Viipurin maalaiskunta, the rural municipality surrounding then-Finnish Vyborg, now part of Russia. He became renowned for his designs for glassware, but he initially started in ceramics training at the University of Art and Design Helsinki and his career started at the art department at Arabia. Toikka was given the honorary title of Professor of the Arts by the state of Finland. His imaginative, rich and bold glass art is a departure from mainstream Nordic design. Toikka’s individual style is also evident in the utility objects he creates as they often deviate from the traditional clean-lined puritanism of Finnish design aesthetics. In addition to glass, his artistic activities cover staging, fashion design and plastic interior design elements. (Source iittala.com) Birds by Toikka He started designing in glass in the 1960s and his designs include Kastehelmi (1964) and Flora from the 1960s and the Pioni and Krouvi collections from the 1970s. Although it is for his hand blown glass birds which first appeared in 1972 that he is most well known. He carried on designing until his death and his legacy is a portfolio of more than 500 birds. The first birds were created by Oiva Toikka and the glassblowers of the Nuutajärvi Glass Factory in 1972. (Did you know? The Nuutajärvi Glass Factory is the oldest in Finland being established in 1793). iittala Toikka Flycatcher The first bird design was the Flycatcher, appearing in different colour variations. The most rare of the Flycatchers are those that have gradient coloring. Part of Nuutajärvi’s 1972 collection, two versions of the Flycatcher (Sieppo) were produced: one with a leg, and one without. The variation of vivid colors made these birds very appealing to collectors. The birds from the period bear the signature “Oiva.” Over 300 species have been created, some of them more enduring in production than others. Each bird is a unique individual, signed with the artist’s name – it is the tangible product of skilled artisanship. The passing of time enhances the value of these art objects. That is why Iittala Birds are cherished and valued gifts and irresistible to collectors around the world, from Finland to the United States and from Central Europe all the way to Japan. Birds featured in the collection include: Purple Finch, Arctic Tern, barn owl, mandarin duck, Western Meadowlark, and many others. The collection included annual editions, limited editions, special editions and later included glass eggs. Toikka Catcher 215 Anniversary Bird Other Work Another example of his creativity is represented by the pieces designed for the Me Too collection by Magis – the same collection which also includes the sympathetic Puppy and the colourful Trioli children’s chair created by Eero Aarnio – as the rocking chair Dodo and the coat rack Paradise Tree. Toikka enjoyed success, too, in other creative outlets. He worked as a stage and costume designer, generally with Finnish director Lisbeth Landefort [fi], whose autobiography he illustrated. In his later years, he was also associated with productions by the Finnish National Theatre and the Finnish National Opera. He has also occasionally contributed textile designs to the Marimekko collections. Toikka’s awards include the Lunning Prize in 1970, Finnish State Award for Crafts and Design in 1975, Pro Finlandia Medal in 1980, Kaj Franck Design Prize in 1992, Finland Prize in 2000 and Prins Eugen Medal in 2001. Reference Oiva Toikka at Finnish Design Shop Toikka Bird Guide at glassbirds.com Oiva Toikka at Wikipedia Toikka Special Archive Collection at Pyramid Glass Chester iittala.com
As the Queen celebrates her official birthday on Saturday June 11 we thought we would take a look at some of the collectables and memorabilia available for collectors. These include offerings from Royal Doulton and smaller potteries such as Hazle Ceramics and Bairstow Pottery, teddies from Merrythought & Steiff, cars and buses from Corgi, a great offering from the Royal Collection and more. Merrythought Teddy Bear Merrythought have created a wonderful Limited Edition teddy bear to Celebrate HM The Queen’s 90th Birthday Merrythought, Britain’s last remaining teddy bear factory, has designed a splendid collectable teddy bear in celebration of Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th birthday, alongside her historic achievement in becoming Britain’s longest reigning monarch. This exquisite piece has been hand crafted in the original workshop in Ironbridge, Shropshire, where Merrythought have been making teddy bears since 1930; a magical place where each teddy bear is brought to life using only the finest material and traditional craftsmanship that has been passed down four generations of the family business. ‘HM Queen Elizabeth II Teddy Bear’ is available from quality retailers, including Harrods, Teddy Bears of Witney, World of Bears and The Merrythought Teddy Bear Shop and website (www.merrythought.co.uk) priced at around £259.00. Steiff Teddy Bear Steiff have created a special bear for the Danbury Mint to celebrate the event with the Queen’s 90th Birthday Bear which will be issued in a strict limited edition and will only be made during 2016. She is hand-made from the finest peach-coloured mohair, with a hand-stitched nose and mouth, is fully jointed and around her neck there is a regal purple ribbon with a specially-commissioned birthday pendant. Lavishly plated in 9ct rose gold, it shimmers with over 40 diamond-white crystals. There are also two sparkling pear-cut amethyst-coloured stones and a genuine solitaire diamond – the Queen’s birthstone. The bear’s paws are embroidered in majestic purple thread with the words “Queen Elizabeth” and the year “2016”. The bear measures 11″ (28cm) standing, and is priced at £199. Hazle Ceramics Hazle Ceramics still produce some of the best collectables from their pottery in Essex. They are able to create special pieces for many special events and if you have not heard of them visit https://www.hazle.com. The models are The Post Office – Happy Birthday Ma’am! (priced at £54) and The Queen’s Birthday Breakfast (priced at £110). Corgi Corgi are celebrating the 90th Birthday Of HM Queen Elizabeth II with two special commemorative die-cast vehicles: a Routemaster bus and a classic mini, both in regal purple livery. Both models are priced at £9.99 and can ordered from the Corgi web site. Royal Doulton Royal Doulton have created a series of four figurines Celebrating Queen Elizabeth at 90. The models are: Celebrating Queen Elizabeth at 90: At Home, Celebrating Queen Elizabeth at 90: Birthday Celebration, Celebrating Queen Elizabeth at 90: A Royal Christening and Celebrating Queen Elizabeth at 90: Army Days. Each model is 22cm high. Celebrating Queen Elizabeth at 90: At Home £150.00 Queen Elizabeth in a striking yellow suit with the Royal Family’s recognisable corgis at her feet whilst relaxing at home. Masterfully crafted and rendered in beautiful colours, this is a stand-out piece to honour Her Majesty the Queen’s landmark birthday and her 63 years of service in the Royal Family. Celebrating Queen Elizabeth at 90: Birthday Celebration £125.00 Standing at 22cm tall and rendered in a vivid deep red to her coat and hat, Queen Elizabeth is portrayed here with celebratory birthday flowers and her iconic sense of style. Every detail has been considered and executed with fine craftsmanship for a collectable to last a lifetime and beyond. Celebrating Queen Elizabeth at 90: A Royal Christening £175.00 A scene paying tribute to Prince George of Cambridge’s christening, this impeccably crafted figurine depicts a scene set up for official photos of the day – showing Her Majesty the Queen with the Duke, Duchess and Prince of Cambridge sitting on a sofa that would have been within the regal surroundings of Buckingham Palace. Rendered in beautiful colours with striking attention to detail, this piece would make a beautiful gift for any home, and a highly desirable collector’s piece. Celebrating Queen Elizabeth at 90: Army Days £125.00 This commemorative figurine displays Queen Elizabeth in her days within the army after she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1945. Presented in bold time-honoured colours with impeccable attention to detail, Queen Elizabeth is shown with her correct uniform and bag. Keep as a treasured collectable or give as a superb gift. The Royal Collection Shop The Royal Collection shop has a whole range of of commemorative chinaware and gifts commissioned by Buckingham Palace. The collection includes a Commemorative Pillbox, Mint Imperials, Plates, Tankards, China, Carriage Clock, Mugs, Jewellery etc. For more information visit https://www.royalcollectionshop.co.uk/ Bairstow Pottery Queen Elizabeth ll 90th Birthday Commemorative Character Jugs Bairstow Pottery, of Stoke have released a commemorative Queen Elizabeth ll character jug to celebrate her 90th Birthday. The Queen Elizabeth ll 90th Birthday Commemorative Character is being produced in a number of colourways including yellow, orange and blue version.