Object Description
Royal Worcester porcelain bird model
English, c. 1950
Height 16cm, width 16cm, depth 9cm
The charming model of a jay manufactured by the famous Royal Worcester factory comes from the collection of Henry Sandon (b. 1928). He is an authority in the field of Royal Worcester porcelain and an antiques expert.
The piece is made from bone china and depicts a jay sitting on a hazelnut tree branch. Coloured in pastel shades, the figure is a subtle home décor piece. However, the design intricacies created by its artists make it a very high-quality porcelain piece. On the underside the bird model is signed with the Royal Worcester mark in addition to the name of the bird.
The initial design for this model was done by Eva Soper (1901-1990) who worked at a wildlife sanctuary founded by her father George Soper RE. After being introduced to the Royal Worcester factory in 1937, she soon collaborated with them on a project to design twelve British bird models. Soper designed additional models in 1941. All her bird designs were popular and in production until 1986.
The very realistic representation of a jay as well as the model’s important provenance make the figure a very desirable collectable.