bisque with calico body, Royal Doulton and House of Nisbet, 1981; "Saturday's Doll", boxed; China, Royal Doulton/Nisbet, 1981

bisque shoulder head with stuffed calico arms, body and legs; arms sewn to shoulders with a large button; fingers indicated by stitched calico
painted facial features, brown eyes and eye shadow, brown upper lashes, eye lines and brows, pinkish red mouth; dark blond mohair wig

dressed as a maid in black with a white pinafore and holding a feather duster
on the left wrist is a round label giving the name together with the manufacturers' titles

doll is housed in the first box design; window box
card printed in colours to show a shop front with the text printed in English and French; the 'window' is clear plastic representing a bow window with square panes

Given by Royal Doulton

In 1980, the ceramic artist of Royal Doulton and the costume designers of House of Nisbet joined to create a range of dolls, many of which were based upon watercolour drawings by Kate Greenaway. Eric Griffiths, once of Pedigree and the re-styler of Sindy, created the heads and Alison Nisbet (daughter of Peggy) designed the costumes.

Most of the series of dolls were issued as Limited Editions of 5000. Each doll was individually boxed with a signed and numbered certificate. If a doll had a special name, the name was printed on the head and also on the label attached to the clothing.

The first dolls produced did not have bisque hands, merely simple calico ones as part of the arms. This was discussed at length between the designer Eric Griffiths and Caroline Goodfellow and the decision was to produce china lower arms and hands. One hand (right) would curved inward so it could hold an object such as a flower, and the left would be open so it could be used to hold strapped items or materials such as a shawl. The hands designed are like those of Caroline Goodfellow, small and rather straight, and regardless of the length of the arm the fingers are short and stubby.

In a statement in the leaflets:-
In a splendid renaissance of the Victoria tradtion of soft bodied dolls with china heads and hands, Royal Doulton and House of Nisbet have created "Heirloom Dolls". This growing collection of dolls is the fruit of a unique partnership formed towards the end of 1980.

A number of leading doll authorities were brought into to advise on these dolls, including Faith Eaton, Miss Lines (of Hamleys), Dorothy and Evelyn Jane Coleman and Caroline Goodfellow.
Several meetings were held in Stoke-on-Trent and the launch in 1982 was at the Savoy Hotel in London.

The dolls although well produced were not successful as they fell between the gift market and the doll market. Production stopped in 1985.

Royal Doulton Tableware Ltd

Reason For Production: retail

B.153-2000