Antiques & Collectables When Beatrix Potter & Peter Rabbit Met Fred & his Pushy Wife

Beatrix Potter Beswick Figurines.Tales from awe've got the make and the specific item, but still
country antique shop.A long time ago . . in aa few problems.So how can individual figures be
galaxy far far away . .Had a phone call from aidentified and valued quickly?Well . . . .Beatrix
gentleman called Fred who was cleaning out hisPotter published several books about animals her
aunt's house.The trouble was, his wife was givingfirst being The Tale of Peter Rabbit in 1902.Royal
him a hand!The reason for the call was that they'dDoulton was founded in 1815 and already
found 'some rabbits' amongst his aunt's bits andspecialising in figurative sculpture.Miss Potter
pieces. It took me a few minutes to work out ifapproached the Lambeth studio in 1908 with a
they were of the furry variety or the easier toview to having her own animals produced in
keep pottery sort.Well his wife was a keen TVceramic. An earlier contract with another
fan - especially of the lunchtime 'buy cheap andcompany made any arrangement with Doulton
sell expensive' type of antique/collectableimpossible and it was not until 1948, sadly after
programmes. She was convinced that they'dMiss Potter's death, that the Beatrix Potter
stumbled on a fortune with the rabbits becausefigures were finally produced by the John Beswick
they were EXACTLY the same thing that hadfactory.This arrangement continued successfully
fetched top money only the other day on TVuntil the late 1960's when Ewart Beswick was
while she was having her soup and sandwiches.ready to retire but had no heir.The Royal Doulton
Our telephone conversation continued like this.group acquired the Beswick factory in 1969 and
Fred remember, was on the other end of thewhen the modeller Albert Hallam retired in 1975,
phone talking to me, but having to listen to hisGraham Tongue became the head modeller at the
wife's advice with his spare ear."It's a rabbit with aBeswick studio and added many new characters
blue coat and there are marks on its bottom"Ato the range in the 1980's.Beatrix Potter figures
few further questions ascertained that the markshave become highly collectable and so far, the
were on the base of the pottery figure."Are the1990's has seen Graham Tongue develop the
marks in brown or gold?" I asked"Yes" repliedBeatrix Potter collection for the 100th birthday of
Fred. I could tell it was going to be an uphillPeter Rabbit in 1994. 1997 saw yet more
struggle!"I really need to know just which colour" Icelebrations as Beatrix Potter figures had been in
continued "Well it's difficult to tell in this light - it'scontinuous production for Beswick for 50 years.19
sort of a browny gold"Next sound I could justfigures were withdrawn in 1997 making more
hear was Fred's wife saying, tell her it's like thethan 60 retired figures for collectors to find.Quite
one on the telly on Tuesday lunchtime."It's OKa task and getting more difficult each year so
Fred, I heard that, but it doesn't really help. Anyhow does one handle this situation . . . . .The quick
possibility of slipping them into the shop so weand dirty way is to visit:
can pinpoint the date accurately""Yes I'll bring
them in tomorrow, but could you just let meThere you will find the rest of this article with
know what they're worth today"Bless him, hethe associated photos and graphics explaining the
wasn't giving in!!various marks used by Beswick.
This happens all the time and sometimes it's fairlyHappy Collecting.We run a small but beautifully
easy to give a rough estimate over the phone,formed General Antiques Shop which is situated in
but in this case, almost impossible.As you'veKirkby Lonsdale In the Yorkshire Dales/Cumbria
guessed, the rabbits were Beswick's BeatrixBorder. Lots of Collectables, Antiques and witty
Potter rangebanter.
and the one in question was Peter RabbitSo now