Royal Doulton | Valerie | Bone China Figurine | HN 2107 | England, c.1953–1960s

The applied yellow rose she holds is modelled separately from the figure and fired with it — a small extravagance of craft in a piece designed to remain accessible.

Peggy Davies (1921–1989) was among Royal Doulton’s most prolific figure designers, responsible for a wide range of the HN series across the mid-twentieth century. Her work is characterised by full, flowing dress forms and a consistent emphasis on applied floral detail. Valerie, HN 2107, was designed and registered in 1952 and entered production in 1953, remaining in the catalogue until 1995. The model depicts a young girl in eighteenth-century-inspired dress, holding a single rose — a subject firmly within the English porcelain tradition of idealised childhood studies.

The figure stands on a flat circular base with a scalloped pink rim. She is modelled facing forward with a slight turn, wearing a full-skirted red overdress over a pale pink underskirt with a frilled hem. White ruffled undersleeves and blue bow detailing at the bodice and sleeves introduce contrast, echoed in the pale blue shoes and ribboned mob cap. In her hands she holds a small spray of foliage with an applied yellow rose, individually modelled and finely painted. The face is rounded and lightly blushed, the expression downward and composed. The colouring is clean and well controlled, with the red of the dress particularly strong.

The base carries the green printed Royal Doulton lion-over-crown Bone China mark with the early inscription “DOULTON & CO LIMITED”, together with “Valerie / HN 2107 / COPR 1952” and four registered design numbers. This mark configuration is consistent with production in the 1950s to early 1960s, placing this example among the earlier issues of the model.

There are no chips or cracks. The piece is in excellent condition.

• Maker: Royal Doulton
• Title: Valerie
• Model Number: HN 2107
• Designer: Peggy Davies
• Material: Bone china
• Design Registered: 1952
• Production Run: 1953–1995
• Estimated Date: c.1953–1960s (early mark)
• Height: 13 cm
• Country of Origin: England
• Marks: Green printed Royal Doulton mark; “Valerie”; HN 2107; COPR 1952; DOULTON & CO LIMITED; four Rd numbers

Collector Appeal

Early-mark examples of Valerie are consistently preferred within the long production run, particularly those retaining crisp applied floral elements and strong colour. The presence of multiple registered design numbers and the DOULTON & CO LIMITED backstamp places this piece firmly within the earlier manufacturing period, offering a more desirable iteration of a widely recognised and steadily collected model.

The Rd numbers on the base record the moment the design was formally protected — a reminder that even a small porcelain figure was once considered worth defending.