Royal Doulton Bunnykins on Display at the Heritage Center.

Thanks to Board member April Wicker we have a very special display for the holidays. Four full cases of Royal Doulton Bunnykins for your viewing. Come by weekdays from 10-2 or pop in for our special holiday program on 12/16 from 11-3. More info here: https://www.tualatinhistory.org/events/christmas2023

The Bunnykins figurine line is famous for the large number of professions, historical and literary figures, and traditional costumes interpreted as rabbits.

The chinaware line originated with artwork by Sister Mary Barbara Bailey (née Barbara Vernon Bailey), the daughter of Cuthbert Bailey, general manager of Doulton during the 1930s. Unbeknownst to the public, Mary Barbara Bailey was not a professional illustrator, but a nun in the Augustinian Canonesses of the Lateran. Sister Mary Barbara provided illustrations to the designers of Doulton & Co. to be used on tableware.

Six Bunnykins figurines were produced based on Sister Mary Barbara's illustrations in 1939 and were designed by Charles Noke.

Discontinued during World War II, Royal Doulton purchased the Beswick Pottery factory in 1969 and Royal Doulton reintroduced the Bunnykins figurines. After the closure of Royal Doulton factory in England in 2005, Bunnykins figurines are produced in Asia.

All Bunnykins figures are numbered in chronological order of production, so the lowest numbers are earlier. I am not privileged to own any of the original six, but you can find DB 1, the first of the reintroduction generation, in this display case.

Also note that the Bunnykins figurines have distinctive features depending on the designer and modeler. Compare DB 1 and DB 68.