this porcelain figurine measures approximately one inch and
is in excellent condition. it is marked "wade england"
When Red Rose Tea began to offer Wade miniatures in 1967, it
wasn't uncommon to promote food and beverage items with free premiums. Even so,
the success of Wade figurines for Red Rose was unprecedented, boasting a
production run for the first series of miniatures that numbered in the
millions. The miniatures soon became a perennial item in boxes of Red Rose Tea.
To date, it is estimated that more than 300 million Wade figurines have been
given away in packages of Red Rose Tea in America.
George Wade came into ownership of Wade & Sons of
Burslem, England in 1899, eventually renaming it George Wade Pottery. The style
of figurines known as “Wade Whimsies” first appeared in the 1950s, and have
been a regular promotion in Red Rose Tea in the United States since 1983.