Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday is the last day of the Carnival season and this year it falls on February 28th. In Christian tradition, rich, fatty foods were eaten before the ritual fasting for Lent which begins on Ash Wednesday. In the USA, New Orleans hosts the most famous Mardi Gras celebrations while Brazil is renowned for its spectacular Rio Carnival. Venice in Italy celebrates Carnevale, meaning “farewell to meat” which is not eaten for 40 days before Easter. Masks have always been an important feature of the carnival celebrations allowing revelers to escape the constraints of polite society.
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Crowning Glory
This fabulous prototype figurine was modeled by Valerie Annand in 1992 but was never introduced to the HN collection. The medieval princess is in the style of Henry Justice Ford, a prolific illustrator of fairies and fairy tales from the early 1900s.
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Fun Facts
“In Dublin’s Fair City, where the girls are so pretty, I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone. As she wheels her wheel barrow, through streets broad and narrow crying cockles and mussels alive, alive oh.” This 1883 song about a fictional fishmonger has become the unofficial anthem of Dublin city in Ireland and a statue of Molly was erected during the city’s Millennium celebrations in 1988. The statue is affectionately known by locals as the “dish with the fish” or the “tart with the cart” referring to Molly’s double life as a street vendor by day and a lady of the night.
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Powder Puff
Powder bowls and boxes for toiletries were necessities for ladies’ dressing tables during the Art Deco era and Royal Doulton produced many different types. Reco Capey, our featured artist, designed some beautifully patterned luster boxes. Covered bowls and boxes were produced also in plain luster and Titanian glazes with figurative finials. Some of the most striking bowls are adorned with figurines, such as Cassim and the Geisha which reflect the taste for exotic fragrances during the 1920s.
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Charles & Nell Vyse
Charles Vyse modeled Royal Doulton’s first figurine Darling HN1 in 1913 and then went on to open his own studio in London with his wife Nell. During the 1920s and 30s, they created a succession of flower sellers, entertainers, and other characters from the streets of London. Call us now if you would like a free book featuring the work of Charles and Nell Vyse.
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Artist Spotlight
Reco Capey joined Doulton’s Burslem factory in 1915 and returned at the end of 1918 after serving in the war. He designed for Doulton’s new luster collection, notably hexagonal boxes and vases depicting stag-hunting scenes in silhouette and heraldic beasts in the manner of William de Morgan.
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Les Saisons
The four seasons have been a constant inspiration to porcelain artists since the 18th century. Royal Doulton introduced figurines of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter in 1918, making the seasons their first ever set for the HN collection. One of the most striking sets is Les Saisons, inspired by the Czech artist Alphonse Mucha, who was the pre-eminent exponent of art nouveau in Paris at the turn of the last century.
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Moorcroft
The latest Moorcroft catalog is now available to read on-line. There are more pieces in the exquisite Talwin pattern to go with the plaque which we currently have in stock. Don’t delay in placing your orders for Moorcroft’s limited editions which sell out quickly around the world.
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Caribbean Cruise Collector Photos
A group of Pascoe & Company collectors cruised around the Caribbean on the Oceania Riviera from January 23rd to February 2nd. A selection of photos can be viewed here.
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