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 Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was born in Portsmouth on 7th February 1812, he died in Kent on the 9th June 1870. In his 58 years Charles Dickens crafted a literary tradition that is without rival in the English speaking world. Dickens was the true master of his craft, in his day his style was the cutting edge, but today his work is remembered for its social commentary. It would have been inconceivable for Royal Doulton not to create a series honoring this mighty talent, in fact, Royal Doulton created seven series dealing with Dickens’ literary heritage.
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The largest and by far the most prevalent of the Dickens series is Dickens Ware "A". This impressive series was first introduced in 1908; it was augmented for the celebration of the centenary of Dickens’ birth in 1912. The range was increased in 1917; by 1930 production had all but stopped. In 1931 a limited series was reintroduced on a different colour scheme. By 1951 production had reduced to a trickle of rack plates, chop dishes, mugs and bonbon dishes.
The Dickens Ware series consists of 31 characters depicted on four styles of background; A Victorian streetscape (with several variations, but all of the same school); A Victorian parlor or front room (again, several variations, but all of the same school); A courtroom (Buzfuz & Mrs Bardell); and Sydney Carton who appears on the stairs of the guillotine with an expectant crowd below. This page is absolutely chokers with information that regard to this fascinating series; from mechanisms for dating your collection through to pictures of the 31 characters in up to three colour-ways. Follow the read more tab and I hope you enjoy this page as much as I have creating it -.... |
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Of all the series Dickens Ware was one of the most prolific, so it almost goes without saying that there are almost innumerable shapes and sized in this pattern. It is my hope that as this list grows we can get some idea of what shapes where available and in what era. In the Dickens Ware Vase fact file I have photographs 54 vase shapes and sizes; for 51 of these vase shapes we have been able to identify by the Royal Doulton issued shape number. At this point I must thank Bob Goudy for letting me photograph some of the items from his collection, these pages would be a shadow of what they are today if it where not for Bob's generosity. |
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Royal Doulton produced an absolute panoply of plates, trays & pin dishes and wall chargers. So this page is the home of the flat shapes that Dickens Ware can be found on, this is mostly items for the table, both the Dinner and the High Tea, the exception to this are pin dishes and wall chargers. Also included on this page are Babies plates and bowls; so click the read more tab and have a look.... |
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This page is the home of all the Dickens Ware bowls, including; serving bowls, fruit bowls, tureens, biscuit barrels, gravy boats and cheese dishes. Basically everything for the table that is not flat. |
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This page is the home of the various shapes and sized Royal Doulton produced for the consumption of tea and coffee that where decorated with a Dickens Ware scenes. This page will include teapots, creamers & sugar bowls, tea cups & saucers, coffee pots, coffee cups & saucers, hot water pots and tea caddies and jugs and pitchers. What won’t be included in this category are cake plates (see plate & bowl category). Where possible we will identify the shape name and the range of sizes that they came in and the pattern number the production era of the example. |
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This is the home of the various shaped and sized jugs and pitchers decorated with the Dickens Ware series. One of the most common shapes I come across in Dickens Ware is the Friar shaped jug, it comes in five sizes. This page does not include creamers as they appear on the Tea & Coffee shapes page. Just follow the read more tab to see a full selection of Dickens Ware jugs. |
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This page is the home of the shapes that relate to the dressing table and lighting. Of course the most prominent item in this category is Royal Doulton’s Pelican Dressing Table set. This page is also the home of Lamp’s, Candlesticks and Chamber Sticks. While it is never going to be the largest category, it really is quite interesting as these items are quite hard to find, and often the shapes are quite striking. A good example of this is the Dutch Candlestick. |
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From the very first beginnings of Series Ware production and up until the 1950’s Royal Doulton produced quite a range of Tobacco related products. No other series would have as many tobacco related shapes as Dickens Ware, this range includes Cigarette boxes (both plain and musical), Bridge Sets, Tobacco Jars, Cigarette dispensers and of course ashtrays. In the first half of the twentieth century smoking was seen as quite chic, a huge percentage of the population did not just smoke, they revelled in it. I was a smoker in my youth; I was in hospital for a week in 1980 with two broken wrists which were in traction, not only did the nurses feed me, one of the sweet angels of mercy held the cigarette to my lips and flicking the ash for me.  |
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This page is the home of Dickens Ware planter and flower and bulb bowls. This is quiet a small shapes catogary, but they tend to large and bold shapes that really make a statement. I hope you enjoy this as much as I have getting these images. |
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Royal Doulton produced at least 6 shapes of toilet sets, to date I have only had an example of a Mayfair Toilet Dickens Ware se, but who knows what other shapes it was produced in. This page will also be the home of Shaving mugs, but to date I have never seen a Dickens Ware example - can you help me? Fittingly I have decided that this will be the last of the shapes page. So click the read more tab and see what is to offer.... |
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