GEORGINA RITSON DOLLS

GEORGINA RITSON

The world renowned Staffordshire potteries are the birthplace of Georgina Ritson Dolls, originally created by a classically trained sculptor.

There are 18 dolls to collect in total. Four children/toddlers: Niamh, Simon, Louise and Michael. The child dolls are all bisque (all porcelain) with fully jointed bodies. At the other end of the spectrum are two grandparent dolls: Grandma Dora and Grandpa Edward, who can be easily recognised by their mature and well defined facial features.

The Ladies include Emma, Vicky and Katherine — these can be platinum dolls (see right) — and Margaret, Caroline and Nell. All six of these miniature dolls have moving heads, whereby the head moves at the jaw line as opposed to the neck. Finally, Ruth and Molly (modelled on the ‘unsinkable Molly Brown’) complete the collection of ladies. Men include Bill, John, Craig and Charles, modelled on the Scottish artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

ORIGINAL DOLLS

VICKY

EMMA

THE PLATINUM DOLL

The platinum doll is an all-bisque figure and took almost a year to perfect - it is an unusual piece by virtue of its production process. Most miniature dolls are assembled after they have been fired, whereas the platinum doll is assembled before the initial firing by using intricate clay modelling techniques. The platinum doll demands great patience and dexterity, and therefore only a handful of these dolls are produced each year, making them an appealing prospect for many collectors.