Royal Doulton | Forty Winks | HN 1974 | Bone China Figurine | England, COPR 1945

Royal Doulton | Forty Winks | HN 1974 | Bone China Figurine | England, COPR 1945

There is more dignity in an old woman asleep in her chair than in a great many people who are wide awake.

The figurine range produced by Royal Doulton at its Burslem factory stands among the most enduring traditions in British ceramics. The HN series — named after Harry Nixon, the factory’s head of painting — began in 1913 and grew to encompass a wide range of subjects, from historical figures to quietly observed scenes of domestic life. Forty Winks, designed by Harry Fenton and in production from 1945 to 1973, belongs to this latter group: studies of everyday moments, handled with restraint and a close attention to character. The design was registered under RdNo 842483 and produced by Doulton & Co Limited.

The figure depicts an elderly woman dozing in a broad, peach-toned armchair. She wears a white bonnet tied beneath the chin, a green shawl with a finely painted fringed border draped over a red blouse, a white apron, and a teal-green skirt. Her right hand rests open in her lap, glasses in hand, her head inclined forward in sleep. At her feet sits a small black cat, quietly alert — a detail that anchors the composition.

The modelling of the face is particularly well resolved, capturing both age and repose in the slight tilt of the head and the softened expression. The painted detail of the shawl’s border and the restrained palette of the figure as a whole reflect the standard of finish associated with mid-century production.

There are no chips, cracks, crazing, or restoration. The glaze and painted decoration remain intact and well-preserved throughout. The piece is in excellent condition.

Key Details

• Maker: Royal Doulton
• Title: Forty Winks
• HN Number: HN 1974
• Registration Number: RdNo 842483
• Designer: Harry Fenton
• Issued: 1945–1973
• Copyright: 1945
• Material: Bone china
• Backstamp: "Forty Winks" / H.N.1974 / RdNo 842483 / COPR 1945 / Doulton & Co Limited / Royal Doulton Made in England
• Height: 17.3 cm
• Weight: 510 g
• Condition: Excellent — no chips, cracks, crazing, or restoration

Collector Appeal

Forty Winks is one of Royal Doulton’s character studies of everyday life, and this example has strong colour, fine painted detail and no damage.

The cat at her feet is awake. Someone in the room always is.