Souvenir figures such as this became popular in the 1920s, apparently after a set representing dancers with Diaghilev's Ballets Russes Company were issued by Cyril Beaumont. He had the idea in about 1914 to produce them from artwork representing the dancers in costume, hoping they would: 'supply the demand for something between a photograph and a statuette'. A 1928 catalogue of Beaumont's publications notes: 'The figures, which are of wood, average 8¾ inches high, and are hand-coloured with special care to ensure accuracy of costume. The black stands on which the figures are mounted are easily removable to afford facility in packing. The figures are priced at 7s.6d. net.'

This figure of Helen Gilliland is one of several representing singers in roles they played with D'Oyly Carte Opera Company productions in its 1921 to 1922 season at London's Princes Theatre. They were reproduced from photographs and would have been issued in 1922 by the Artograph Technical and Photographic Company, located at 16, Grape Street, New Oxford Street, behind the Princes Theatre.

Helen Gilliland was a principal soprano with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Repertory Company who first appared with them in July 1917 as Aline in The Sorcerer, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Phyllis in Iolanthe, Yum-Yum in The Mikado, and Casilda in The Gondoliers. She left in June 1919 at the close of her second season, returning in September for the 18-week London season at the Princes Theatre, taking the same roles except Mabel which was played by Elsie Griffin. She left again at the end of the season in January 1920, returning in October 1920 for her third and last season when she played , Casilda, Phyllis, Yum-Yum, and the title role of Patience. At the end of the season in April 1922 she moved to the London Hippodrome, and after several roles in London moved to the US where she appeared in The Red Robe at New York's Shubert Theatre. Back in London she appeared regularly on the London stage playing appearing at Drury Lane in January 1931 in The Song of the Drum, and at the Gaiety in August 1931 in Nina Rosa. She appeared regularly in London and on tour over the next six years in musical comedy, variety, and pantomime but lost her life in 1942 when the ship on which she was travelling to an ENSA engagement was torpedoed and sunk in Far Eastern waters.