Object Description
Set of five Royal Worcester bird models
English, c. 1950
Largest: Height 9cm, width 8cm, depth 6cm
Smallest: Height 6cm, width 6cm, width 4cm
Designed by a woman and from the collection of a renowned antiques expert, this selection of five charming bird models is an exceptional addition to one’s collection of porcelain.
Made around 1950 by the Royal Worcester porcelain factory, the bird models depict a wood warbler, gold crest, sparrow, hedge sparrow and nuthatch. Each bird is placed atop a branch or other greenery. Some models feature bright flowers in shades of white and orange. One of the birds, the nuthatch can be seen holding a yellow seed or berry in his beak.
All bird models bear a maker’s mark on the reverse in addition to the name of the bird species depicted on them.
A woman called Eva Soper (1901-1990) designed this collection of bird models in the late 1930s and early 1940s, soon after being introduced to the Royal Worcester factory. Soper worked in a studio in a wildlife sanctuary enabling her to have the expert knowledge of the bird species depicted giving each model a very realistic appearance. Her models were produced by the English porcelain factory until 1986.
The set of sweet bird models originates from Henry Sandon’s (b. 1928) collection. He is an antiques expert previously appearing on the Antiques Roadshow and an authority in the field of Royal Worcester porcelain.