Crown Devon - History
These figurines are the authentic 1930s designs. made from the original
moulds, and so are exact in every detail. They were formally produced by the
Stoke-on-Trent pottery of S. Fielding & Co. Ltd., under the name of
"Crown Devon". Figures made by Fieldings in the 1930s are now rare, much sought
after, and command high prices.
There are
currently 16 designs in production; their original
pattern numbers and names have been retained.
The original models for these
figurines (apart from Sheila & Juliet), were designed and
created, in the Art Deco Style of the period, by Kathleen Parsons
She is recognized as one of the
outstanding artists of the period, and it is generally accepted that her figures were the best produced by Fieldings. Her
work is now very collectable.
In the
1930s, the figures were made of earthenware, with a cellulose point or under
glaze finish. Today, the figures are made in Fine Bone China, a superior,
stronger and harder material, which allows colours to be added on glaze, a
technique that considerably extends and enhances the range of possible
finishes, including the use of lighter pastel shades
Traditional craft skills are still used to make and paint these figures by
hand,
in
Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire, England.
The
intricate design of some of the figures make them difficult to make; only
after a figure has successfully survived the first firing
in the kiln to form the "biscuit" does the craftsman know his work is likely to be fruitful. The
figure goes through several more stages of production. including at least 3
more firings in the kiln, before it is finished.
Because the
figures are hand painted, there are often small differences between each
figurine, even though they have the same nominal colour combinations. Each
individual figure is painted by one artist. At some time during the painting
stages, the name of the model and the initials of the artist are written on
the base of the
figurine, and after firing they are permanent
Personalised Gifts
All the ceramic figurines (Crown Devon and Norcroft), are individually hand
painted. This provides the opportunity to incorporate changes that could be
requested by customers to personalise a figure to their own requirements, or
as
a gift. Possible changes could be - altered
colours, a different name on the figure, and if there is sufficient space a
very short message.
If you have an interest in
this service please
email your request
