Royal Doulton

The Royal Doulton Company is one of the world-renowned English companies producing tableware and collectables, with a history dating back to 1815. Operating originally in London, its reputation grew in the area known as The Potteries, where it was a relative latecomer compared to other leading names such as Spode, Wedgwood and Minton. Today, its products include dinnerware, giftware, cookware, porcelain, glassware, collectables, jewellery, linens, curtains, and lighting, among other items.

Its three key brands are Royal Doulton, Royal Albert, and Minton. Together, the three brands make up Doulton Home, which is now part of the Waterford Wedgwood group. Most of the pieces in these three brands are manufactured outside the United Kingdom, in the Far East and Indonesia.

Figurine

Figurine is a diminutive form of the word figure, and generally refers to a small human-made statue that represents a human (or deity or animal). They are typically smaller than life-size, and may be realistic or iconic depending on the skill and intention of the creator. The earliest figurines were made of stone; more recent creations are also made of ceramic, metal, wood, plastic, etc.

The earliest figurines are often of pregnant women, and are called Venus figurines, in reference to their presumed representation of a female goddess, or in any case some connection to fertility. The two oldest so far are made of stone, were found in Africa and Asia, and are several hundred thousand years old. Many more have been found that date to 25-30,000 BC in Europe, and are the oldest ceramic known. If the earlier finds are genuine, they are one of the first signs of human culture.

We cannot know for certain how they were used. They probably had religious or ceremonial significance, and been used in marriage and other rituals. They may also have been meant to amuse, that is, children in particular (a crying infant for example). Some may have been worn as jewelry.

A more recent adaptation is the use of figurines in board games, such as chess. Players of tabletop role playing games often use miniatures to represent their characters' position and facing on a map.

Recently, the terms in action figures (originally used to describe Kevin Smith's View Askew figurines) and staction figures (a portmanteau of static and action figures coined by Four Horsemen artists to describe Masters of the Universe figures) have been used to refer to figurines of comic book characters or sci-fi/fantasy characters without movable parts.

Figures with movable parts (e.g. allowing limbs to be posed) have also been developed, but these are more likely to be called dolls or action figures (or robots or automata if they can move on their own).

Old figurines have been used to discount some historical theories, such as the origins of chess.

Decorative Collectible

A collectible (or collectable) is typically a manufactured item designed for people to collect. In this respect, they are distinguishable from other subjects of collections, which may also include natural objects (e.g., butterflies) and objects manufactured for purposes other than collecting (e.g., stamps). Some objects designed for other purposes, such as toys, become so popular among collectors that they are later marketed specifically to that audience. The high price for certain older Star Wars action figures is a good example of this phenomenon since the figures were originally intended to be purchased as toys rather than collectibles.

History

The earliest collectibles were included as incentives with other products, such as cigarette cards in packs of cigarettes. Popular items developed a secondary market and sometimes became the subject of "collectible crazes". Eventually many collectible items came to be sold separately, instead of being used as marketing tools to increase the appeal of other products.

To encourage collecting, manufacturers often create an entire series of a given collectible, with each item differentiated in some fashion. Examples include sports cards depicting individual players, or different designs of Beanie Baby. Enthusiasts will often try to assemble a complete set of the available variations.

The early versions of a product, manufactured in smaller quantities before its popularity as a collectible developed, sometimes command exorbitant premiums on the secondary market. In a mature market, collectibles rarely prove to be a spectacular investment.