Bisque head with calico body, 'Swansdown', from the Kate Greenaway limited edition made by Royal Doulton and House of Nisbet, 1981

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

wearing a white costume with feather and yellow ribbon trim, white undergarments
complete with stand

Kate Greenaway No. 2198

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.

Leaflet details for Swansdown:-
In 1896 Kate Greenaway described one of her watercolours as 'A girl in feather hat trimmed with swansdown and yellow ribbons'. The doll inspired by this watercolour has delightful blonde, curly hair and is dressed for cold weather in a fur trimmed coat of heavy white figured satin over a white satin dress. She carries a white fur muff and wears a lace trimmed hat. The ensemble is beautifully decorated with real swansdown and yellow ribbons. The wintry conditions have brought a warm glow to her cheeks which contrast with the diamond blue of her eyes. Her cascading barley gold hair frames an expression of serene purity.

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.152-2000