2 Ceramic Figurines - "Sympathy" by Royal Doulton and "Trumpeter" by Department 56. Royal Doulton piece a dark slender feminine shape on a detachable base, dated 1979 and marked on bottom of figure. Department 56 piece made by Cheryl Johnson, dated 1988 and labeled on base.
Tallest: 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 14 1/4 in.
#4386 .
Royal Doulton is an English ceramic and home accessories manufacturer that was founded in 1815 at Vauxhall Walk, Lambeth, London in an existing earthenware factory. It began as a partnership between two investors named John Doulton and Martha Jones and the factory foreman, John Watts. They traded as Jones, Watts & Doulton until Martha left the partnership in 1820, when the trade name was changed to Doulton & Watts. The business specialized in making salt glaze stoneware articles, including utilitarian or decorative bottles, jugs and jars, much of it intended for inns and pubs. In 1826 they took over a larger existing pottery on Lambeth High Street, moving all operations there. The company took the name Doulton & Co. in 1854 after the retirement of John Watts in 1853 and a merger with Henry Doulton and Co., although the trading name of Doulton & Watts continued to be used for decades. In 1882 it opened a factory in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, which began producing bone china tablewares and decorative items. Through the end of the 19th Century there were three different businesses, run by the sons of John Doulton with significant cross-ownership, which later came back together by 1897, by which time the total employees exceeded 4,000. In 1901 a royal warrant was given, and the company was henceforth known as Royal Doulton. It was a latecomer in this market compared to firms such as Royal Crown Derby, Royal Worcester, Wedgwood, and Spode, but adapted to the swift changes of the 20th Century much better than most. The brands again diverged as the company diversified, resulting in Royal Doulton, Royal Albert, and (after a post-WWII merger) Mintons. These brands were all acquired by WWRD Holdings Limited (an amalgam of Waterford Crystal, Wedgwood, and Royal Doulton). The Burslem factory was demolished in 2014, after almost ten years of vacancy. In 2015 the Finnish company Fiskars Corporation acquired all the assets WWRD, and today Royal Doulton mainly produces tableware and figurines, but also cookware, glassware, and other home accessories such as linens, curtains, and lighting.
Department 56 is a United States manufacturer of holiday collectibles, ornaments, and giftware, known for its lit Christmas village collections and Snowbabies collection. It is currently owned by Enesco (acquired from Lenox in 2009) and based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The brand’s first products were issued in 1976, and various distinct villages and sub-series have been introduced since then. An umbrella organization for Department 56 collector clubs was founded in 1992. Many popular early pieces were made by just a handful of talented artists like Cheryl Johnson, whose personal mark has appeared on over 1,000 confirmed pieces from the 70s through the 90s.
