Retired Royal Doulton Figurine "FAT BOY" England Dickens Series Mint Condition.


Early edition Royal Doulton first series Dickens figure "Fat Boy" HN530. This figure is stamped to the base DOULTON ENGLAND - advanced collectors will note this is how the very first versions of these highly collectable Dickens miniatures were stamped. The quality and detail of 

these old early versions is fantastic - easy to see why they are so highly prized!

Fat Boy was introduced by Charles Dickens published the first installment of The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.


 

Mint Condition, no chips, scratches, repairs, or crazing. 

 

The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (also known as The Pickwick Papers) was Charles Dickens's first novel. 

Because of his success with Sketches by Boz published in 1836, Dickens was asked by the publisher Chapman & Hall to supply descriptions to explain a series of comic "cockney sporting plates"  by illustrator Robert Seymour and to connect them into a novel. 

The book became a publishing phenomenon, with bootleg copies, theatrical performances, Sam Weller joke books, and other merchandise. On its cultural impact, Nicholas Dames in The Atlantic writes, "'Literature' is not a big enough category for Pickwick. 

It defined its own, a new one that we have learned to call "entertainment." Published in 19 issues over 20 months, the success of the Pickwick Papers popularized serialized fiction and cliffhanger endings.

Seymour's widow claimed that the idea for the novel was originally her husband's, but Dickens strenuously denied any specific input in his preface to the 1867 edition: "Mr Seymour never originated or suggested an incident, a phrase, or a word, to be found in the book.

Joe was a supporting character – the "fat boy" who consumes great quantities of food and constantly falls asleep in any situation at any time of day; Joe's sleep problem is the origin of the medical term Pickwickian syndrome, which ultimately led to the subsequent description of obesity hypoventilation syndrome.

Charles Dickens was the foremost English novelist of the Victorian era. Considered one of the English language’s greatest writers, he was acclaimed for his rich storytelling and memorable characters and achieved massive worldwide popularity in his lifetime. In honor of his achievements, Royal Doulton modelers designed figurines based on several of his storybook characters.

Miniature figurines of Charles Dickens characters were produced by Royal Doulton between 1922 and 1983 and during this time there have been variations in ceramic bodies, size and backstamps. In 1922 sixteen miniature bone china Dickens figures were introduced to the HN collection, based Leslie Harradine’s earlier stoneware models. In 1932 these were renumbered as miniatures M41-M56 and in 1939 the collection grew to eighteen figures as the Bumble M76 and Cap ‘n Cuttle M77 figures were introduced. These pre-ware figures carry the old ‘Doulton’ or ‘Doulton England’ earlier backstamp.

The collection was briefly withdrawn in 1949 and then re-introduced in a slightly larger size with a deeper base and no identification numbers.  

The collection also grew to 24, as six more characters were introduced.  The Royal Doulton ‘Lion and Crown’ bone china backstamp was used on all figures of this period.  When the ‘bone china’ is blocked out of the back stamp, it means the figure was made of English Translucent China, which was first introduced in 1959. In 1968, saw the figures once again increasing in size when the clay body was changed from china to earthenware. 

All 24 figures were produced in earthenware and were withdrawn between 1981 and 1983.  In 1994 Pascoe and Company commissioned a limited-edition figure of Charles Dickens himself, making a final total of 25 figures in the collection.

 

Please view all photos for details and condition, photos present an accurate representation of this lovely figurine.                                                                 

No Chips, cracks, or repairs.

Please don't hesitate to ask any questions or for additional pictures.

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Items is sold as is, and pictures represent its current condition. 

Please don't hesitate to ask a question. 

 

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