Royal Doulton | Dinky Do | HN 1678 | Bone China Figurine | England, introduced 1934

Small figures make large impressions — it is a fact Royal Doulton understood from the beginning.

Dinky Do was introduced to the Royal Doulton HN range in 1934 and remained in production for over six decades, making her one of the longest-running subjects in the series. She belongs to a group of child figures produced alongside the more widely known lady models — smaller in scale, lighter in palette, and designed with an immediacy that made them enduring favourites as gifts and early additions to a collection. The subject — a young girl caught mid-curtsy — reflects the modeller’s ability to capture movement with a lightness of touch that never becomes sentimental.

The figure depicts a young girl in mid-curtsy, her full skirt swept outward in a soft arc, shading from pale pink to lavender at the hem. The bodice is cobalt blue with short puffed sleeves, finished with a white ruffled collar and cuffs, and laced detail to the front in pale pink. She wears a white mob cap with a blue band, with brown hair visible at the front. Her head is slightly inclined, her expression open and gently smiling, and her hands are gathered neatly at her sides in the posture of a formal curtsy. The reverse shows the smooth fall of the bodice over the skirt, cleanly modelled throughout.

The figure is in very good condition. There are no chips, cracks, or repairs. Light age-related crazing is present, largely confined to the skirt and consistent with the age of the piece. The colours remain strong and well-preserved.

Key Details

• Maker: Royal Doulton
• Title: Dinky Do
• HN Number: HN 1678
• Material: Bone china
• Introduced: 1934
• Origin: England
• Height: 11.5 cm
• Weight: 149 g
• Condition: Very good — minor age-related crazing; no chips, cracks or repairs

Collector Appeal

Dinky Do remains one of the most recognisable and consistently collected child figures in the Royal Doulton HN range, valued for its long production history and approachable scale. Smaller figures of this type offer an accessible entry point into the series while retaining full period character. Examples with strong colour and clean condition continue to hold steady appeal, particularly for collectors building representative groupings of early and mid-century Doulton models.

She has been mid-curtsy since 1934 and shows no sign of straightening — which, at this point, is a kind of discipline.