Express & Star

Alice in Wonder-ful auction as rare Royal Doulton figurine goes under the hammer

A rare Royal Doulton prototype will be up for auction in Staffordshire next month.

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The Royal Doulton prototype ‘Alice in Wonderland’ figurine

Bosses at Cuttlestones Auctioneers and Valuers say the figurine, believed to be a prototype 'Alice in Wonderland' scene, stands out despite the auction house regularly seeing the figures pass through.

It carries a guide price of £300 to £500. It will feature at Cuttlestones' Autumn Antique Sale at the Penkridge saleroom on September 12.

Royal Doulton prototypes – or ‘ones that got away’ as they are referred to by collectors – are noted for their extreme rarity, but also the high standard of the work from the artists that created them.

They are often the first examples of any given style to be made from production moulds, and usually only three would be made before the design entered full production.

Not all of the prototypes entered production – which is the case with this example.

Featuring a seated Alice reading a book, the figure is dressed in a style contemporary to its early C20th production rather than the style described by Lewis Carroll in his 1865 novel.

Auctioneer Dave Eglington with the Alice figurine

While an Alice in a similar pose wearing the more recognisable blue dress popularised by the Disney film is commonly available, the version up for auction does not seem to have made it beyond the prototype stage.

Bosses say this makes the piece extremely rare and they expect it to drum up lots of interest ahead of the auction on September 12.

Having been produced in the Staffordshire potteries, just a few miles north of Cuttlestones' sale room, the lot has been consigned by the son of a former Royal Doulton painter.

Dave Eglington, Cuttlestones auctioneer, said: "This is a very rare and exciting piece. With our Staffordshire base we naturally see a lot of Doulton coming through, but we’ve never handled one of these before.

"Prototypes are sought after at best of times, but with the subject matter it’s likely to cause a stir among both Doulton collectors and fans of Alice in Wonderland.

“We have only been able to track down one similar prototype, which sold for £1,700 a couple of years ago. While this one carries a conservative estimate, there’s every chance it could surpass this, especially given that we attract a global audience of bidders.

"It is always great to see a piece of Staffordshire history pass through the saleroom, so we are really looking forward to seeing what it achieves.”

Viewing will take place between 10am and 7pm on Wednesday, September 11, and the morning of the sale. There will be live online, commission and telephone bidding options for those unable to attend the auction in person.

For more information, call 01785 714905 or email office@cuttlestones.co.uk.

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