Wade Minikins – Identification, Variations & Price Guide

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Wade Minikins are a distinctive group of miniature animal figures produced by Wade Potteries between 1955 and 1958. Although only a small number of basic animal models were made, Wade decorated them in numerous combinations of motifs, coloured ears and different eye treatments, creating a surprisingly large number of variations for collectors to find.

The Minikins were modelled by William Harper, who also worked as a modeller for Royal Doulton. The figures are tiny, generally no more than about 1.5 inches high, and were produced with a white glazed body before the coloured decoration was applied.

Wade Minikins Cow from Series B which was issued 1956-1958. The Minkin shows the Motif, colour of ears and eye design. Estimate £4-£5 / $5-$7.

When Were Wade Minikins Made?

Wade Minikins were issued in three principal series:

Series	Figures	Production Period
Series A	Cat, Rabbit	1955–1958
Series B	Bull, Cow, Mouse, Rabbit	1956–1958
Series C	Dog, Donkey, Fawn, Pelican	1957–1958

Series C had the shortest production period and its figures are generally encountered less frequently than many of the Series A and Series B models.

Wade Minikins Series C Donkey 1957-1958. Sold for £14.99 / $17 on ebay, July 2021.

Wade Minikins Variations

The real challenge for Wade Minikins collectors is not simply obtaining one example of each animal. The same model was decorated in a number of different ways.

Decoration can include different body motifs, ear colours and eye designs. Known motifs include flowers, spots, musical notes and an L-plate, while ear colours include red, yellow and green. Eye treatments can also differ considerably, from large black eyes to simple dot eyes.

This means that two Minikins made from the same mould can represent distinctly different collecting variations.

Wade Minikin Mouse examples from Series B, 1956–1958. These variations include Musical Notes, L-plate, Spot and Daisy motifs, red, yellow and green ears, and different eye treatments. The group formed part of a collection sold on eBay for £69.80 in May 2022.

The various combinations resulted in 48 different designs in each set, and Wade supplied Minikins to retailers in boxes containing 48 figures.

How Much Did Wade Minikins Cost Originally?

Minikins were inexpensive pocket-money collectables when first sold. The original retail price was 1 shilling (1/-) each.

Before decimalisation, one shilling was equal to 12 old pence. Their low price encouraged buyers to purchase several figures and try to collect the different designs.

Identifying Wade Minikins

When identifying a Wade Minikin, collectors should look beyond the animal itself. The most useful details to record are the model, series, body motif, ear colour and eye treatment.

Small modelling differences can also be important. The Narrow-Eared Rabbit, for example, provides another variation for the specialist collector.

Because the figures are so small, groups that initially appear to contain numerous duplicates can actually include several different recognised variations.

Which Wade Minikins Are Rarer?

The Series C figures – Dog, Donkey, Fawn and Pelican – were only produced from 1957 to 1958 and are consequently somewhat harder to find than many of the earlier models.

Historically, Series C figures could command around £15 each at collectors’ fairs. Although general values have softened since the peak of Wade collecting, particular variations and harder-to-find examples are still sought after.

Rarity, however, is not determined solely by the series. Certain combinations of motif, ear colour and eye design can be noticeably less common than others.

Wade Minikins Price Guide

Values for Wade Minikins vary according to the figure, decoration, condition and whether the piece is being sold individually or as part of a larger group.

Common individual Minikins can still be inexpensive, while scarcer Series C figures and unusual decoration variations may achieve stronger prices. In large collections, the average price per figure can be lower, but such groups are often particularly attractive to specialist collectors searching for missing variations.

The following examples provide a record of prices realised for Wade Minikins. Auction and online sale prices should always be treated as historical market evidence rather than fixed valuations.

Wade Minikins Auction Results

Wade Minkins Series A – Cats and Rabbits produced from 1955-1958
Wade Minkins Series B – Bull, Cow, Mouse and Rabbit produced from 1956-1958
Wade Minkins Series C – Dog, Donkey, Fawn and Pelican produced from 1957-1958

Rabbit variations – examples including the Narrow-Eared Rabbit and other Wade Minikin Rabbits were included in the same £69.80 collection sold in May 2022.

wade minikins collection showing various examples from the front — Wade Minikins Collection Showing Various Examples From The Front. This collection sold for £140 / $165 at Potteries Auctions, July 2021.

wade minikins collection showing various examples from the back — Wade Minikins Collection Showing Various Examples From The Back

Large Wade Minikins collection – a collection containing numerous Minikin figures and variations sold for £140 at Potteries Auctions in July 2021.

Further recent auction results and unusual variations will be added to this guide as they become available.

What Affects the Value of Wade Minikins?

Condition is important. Because Minikins are so small, chips to ears, tails and other projecting parts can easily be overlooked. Painted decoration should also be checked for wear or loss.

Variation is equally significant. A common example of a particular animal may have modest value, while an unusual combination of motif, ear colour and eye design can be considerably more desirable to a specialist collector.

Original packaging is another area worth watching. Wade supplied Minikins to retailers in boxes of 48, and surviving original boxes or display material can add useful information about the way the range was originally marketed.

Collecting Wade Minikins Today

Wade Minikins remain an accessible area of Wade collecting. Individual figures can often still be purchased relatively cheaply, while the large number of decoration variations provides a much greater challenge for anyone attempting to assemble a comprehensive collection.

Their appeal lies partly in that contrast. At first glance they are simply a group of tiny white-glazed Wade animals from the 1950s. Look more closely and differences in motifs, ears and eyes reveal a far more complicated series.

For the specialist collector, the hunt is therefore not merely for the Cat, Rabbit, Bull, Cow, Mouse, Dog, Donkey, Fawn and Pelican models, but for the many different ways in which Wade decorated them.

World Collectors Net will continue to add documented auction results and newly identified Wade Minikin variations to this price guide.

For more information on Wade pottery, figurines and collectables, visit our Wade Pottery and Wade Ceramics collecting guide.