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Learn more about Royal Albert
Bone China Thimbles |
Build and share your knowledge about thimbles - new topics added regularly
THERE ARE 32 "LEARN MORE ABOUT..." TOPICS
Brass Advertising |
British Placenames |
British Royalty on Thimbles |
British Silversmiths |
Charles May |
Christmas |
Coalport
Dorcas Thimble Boxes |
Easter |
Gadgets |
Francesca |
Hallmarked Thimbles set |
'Mother' |
The World's Greatest Porcelain Houses
Royal Albert |
Royal Crown Derby |
Royal Doulton |
Royal Worcester Handpainted Thimbles
Royal Worcester Decal Thimbles |
S + H Foskett |
Silver Advertising Thimbles |
Spode |
Stratnoid |
SylvaC
Thimble Books |
Thimble Collectors Club |
Thimble Societies |
Thimbles with Slogans
Thimblefuls |
Victorian Silver Scenic Thimbles |
Wedgwood Jasperware |
Wedgwood Bone China
THERE ARE 22 PAGES OF THIMBLES & OTHER ITEMS TO BUY
aluminium 1 -
books 1 -
brass 1 -
china 6 -
display cases 1
gold 1 -
needlework tools 2 -
other collectables 1 -
pewter 1 -
plastic 1
silver 3 -
steel & metal 1 -
unusual materials 1 -
wood 1
I have often been asked to do a thimble topic on Royal Albert bone china thimbles. There are a couple of reasons why it has taken me so long to research this topic. Firstly, I didn't think I owned enough Royal Albert thimbles to undertake this subject! I was wrong - there is a very small selection of them!!
There is very little available about English Royal Albert bone china and their production of thimbles. According to the accompanying leaflets for the TCC thimbles, the company was founded in 1896 by Thomas Wild, in Longton, in the English Potteries. They became part of the Royal Doulton group in 1964. The part of the name 'Albert' is named from Albert, the Prince who was to become George VI. Currently Royal Albert is part of the Wedgwood group. It was sad news indeed to read that in this first week of 2009 of the Waterford-Wedgwood group being placed into liquidation. This group includes Royal Doulton, Royal Albert and Rosenthal. Only time will tell what will happen now. So much of all these brands is already being made off shore.
The first thimbles produced by Royal Albert for the collectables market in the early 1980s, are identical in shape to those made by Royal Doulton: the same thimble moulds would have been used. They are taller than most other English bone china thimbles and the apex is flat - but once one knows these characteristics, their shape is quite distinctive. It is only in recent times that a smaller thimble, with more rounded apex, has appeared and this is only found for the Old Country Roses designs!
I don't know whether Royal Albert were still producing thimbles when the liquidation was announced in January 2009. Old Country Roses may have been the only one still in production. There is a word of caution on the manufacture of Royal Albert tho - Royal Albert has been manufactured in Indonesia since 2002 - look for the items marked 'Made in England' to be sure you are getting some of the original RA thimbles!!
The most famous and widely available design of Royal Albert dinner services and tea sets is Old Country Roses - and it was their first thimble design - it was also issued later thru Thimble Collectors Club. The design was first introduced as a pattern on general items by RA - in 1962 - created by Harold Holdcraft.
This brings me to my second reluctance to looking into Royal Albert thimbles - I knew I'd be entering a minefield as Royal Albert have a HUGE range of backstamps - with different ones used on identical thimbles!! I have attempted to tackle this but I know I have only just touched on the Royal Albert backstamp "problem" for thimble collectors. I know from some of my other topics that many collectors take great note of differences amongst backstamps - and I hope you'll be the first to share your knowledge if you own a specific thimble, where I haven't illustrated the backstamp.
I have thus tackled this topic slightly differently from my other topics. I have tried to include all the differing backstamps at the beginning and referenced this to as many of the thimbles that I am able. Not only do the backstamp colours change, the script changes and sometimes the lettering 'bone china' is missing'. The backstamp can include "England" or "Made in England"; some have neither. Does it matter? I have supplied them for those who do care! Please let me know of others I have missed.
For a change, as this is a small topic and space allows, I would like to be able to share the verso side of each thimble [except where both sides are identical - and this will be included in the description]. This way no-one can be fooled into buying the same thimble from different views!! Please share photos of the backs of thimbles where they are missing - many thanks!
I understand that one of the problems with the naming of Royal Albert thimbles is that those made for the English market are unnamed in the thimbles but those made for the overseas' markets, the designs are named in the thimbles. Do you know if this is correct? This may probably be the answer as to why there are so many differing RA backstamps?
Royal Albert didn't issue many commemoratives: with the last issue known being made in 1986! The Wind in the Willows is the only set that is dated - the date forms part of the backstamp.
Their greatest output are sets of thimbles and again following from the popularity of their tea services, the Flowers of the Month set of 12 was widely collected. This set had the month lettered above the flowers. There is a second less well-known Flowers of the Month set, where the month is named below the flower. A more recent set of 12 floral designs has familiar but not identical designs from earlier issues. They are not marked with the names inside the thimbles.
ROYAL ALBERT BACKSTAMPS
identical on both sides
identical on both sides
identical on both sides
identical on both sides
identical on both sides
identical on both sides
identical on both sides
identical on both sides
identical on both sides
one of the Canadian Provincial flowers
one of the Canadian Provincial flowers
one of the Canadian Provincial flowers
one of the Canadian Provincial flowers
one of the Canadian Provincial flowers
one of the Canadian Provincial flowers
identical on both sides
identical on both sides
identical on both sides
identical on both sides
upside down version
World's Greatest Porcelain Houses set [25]
issued by the Thimble Collectors Club [TCC]
identical on both sides
EMAIL thimbleselect@bigpond.com TO SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE. References
Contributors
Riky Breedveld - Sue Burt - Pam Chappell - Kaylene Harris - Margaret Hickling - Elaine Pollard - Linda Samaripa - Karen Stoner - Hans-Ulrich Vogel
This listing of Royal Albert thimbles does not purport to be complete or accurate in all aspects
Enjoy!
© Sue Gowan
THERE ARE 32 "LEARN MORE ABOUT..." TOPICS
THERE ARE 22 PAGES OF THIMBLES & OTHER ITEMS TO BUY
Any questions or comments?
Butterflies
backstamp 7
Commemoratives
marriage of Charles and Diana 1981
backstamp 2
Commemoratives
Pope John Paul II's visit to the UK 1982 - 1
backstamp 6
Commemoratives
Pope John Paul II's visit to the UK 1982 - 2
backstamp 6
Commemoratives
birth of Prince William 1982
backstamp 6
Commemoratives
International Garden Festival
Liverpool 1984
backstamp 7
Commemoratives
marriage of Andrew and Sarah 1986
backstamp ?
Commemoratives
National Garden Festival
Stoke 1986
backstamp 7
Flower set of 12
Blue Blossom
backstamp 1
Flower set of 12
Celebration
backstamp 1
Flower set of 12
Constance
backstamp 1
Flower set of 12
Lady Carlyle
backstamp 1
Flower set of 12
Lady Hamilton
backstamp 1
Flower set of 12
Lavender Rose
backstamp 1
Flower set of 12
Lydia
backstamp 1
Flower set of 12
Memory Lane
backstamp 1
Flower set of 12
Moonlight Rose
backstamp 1
Flower set of 12
Old Country Roses
backstamp 1
Flower set of 12
Operetta
backstamp 1
Flower set of 12
Violets
backstamp 1
Flowers of the Month 1
January
backstamp 5
Flowers of the Month 1
February
backstamp 5
Flowers of the Month 1
March
backstamp 5
Flowers of the Month 1
April
backstamp 5
Flowers of the Month 1
May
backstamp 5
Flowers of the Month 1
June
backstamp 5
Flowers of the Month 1
July
backstamp 5
Flowers of the Month 1
August
backstamp 5 and 8
Flowers of the Month 1
September
backstamp 5
Flowers of the Month 1
October
backstamp 5
Flowers of the Month 1
November
backstamp 4
Flowers of the Month 1
December
backstamp 5
Flowers of the Month 2
January
backstamp 7
Flowers of the Month 2
February
backstamp 7
black & white photo
Flowers of the Month 2
March
backstamp 7
Flowers of the Month 2
April
backstamp 7
Flowers of the Month 2
May
backstamp 7
Flowers of the Month 2
June
backstamp 7
Flowers of the Month 2
July
backstamp 7
Flowers of the Month 2
August
backstamp 7
Flowers of the Month 2
September
backstamp 7
Flowers of the Month 2
October
backstamp 7
Flowers of the Month 2
November
backstamp 7
Flowers of the Month 2
December
backstamp 7
Flowers - Provincial Flowers
Alberta Rose
no inner backstamp
Flowers - Provincial Flowers
Mountain Avens
no inner backstamp
Flowers - Provincial Flowers
Pitcher Plant
no inner backstamp
Flowers - Provincial Flowers
Prairie Crocus
no inner backstamp
Flowers - Provincial Flowers
Prairie Lily
no inner backstamp
Flowers - Provincial Flowers
Trillium - 1
no inner backstamp
Flowers - others
American Beauty
backstamp ?
1987
Flowers - others
Caroline
backstamp ?
Flowers - others
Cottage Garden
backstamp ?
Flowers - others
Forget-Me-Not
backstamp ?
Flowers - others
Highland Thistle
backstamp ?
Flowers - others
Jubilee Rose
no inner backstamp
Flowers - others
Lavender Rose - 2
backstamp 12
Flowers - others
Lavender Rose - 3
no inner backstamp
Flowers - others
Moonlight Rose - 2
backstamp 18
Flowers - others
Moonlight Rose - 3
backstamp ?
1987
Flowers - others
Moss Rose
like backstamp 12
Flowers - others
Old Country Roses - 2
backstamp 10 and 11
Flowers - others
Old Country Roses - 3
no inner backstamp
Flowers - others
Old Country Roses - 4
backstamp 9
Flowers - others
Pansies
backstamp 7
Flowers - others
Poinsettia - 1
backstamp 13
Flowers - others
Poinsettia - 2
no inner backstamp
Flowers - others
Rose
backstamp ?
Flowers - others
Serenity
backstamp 7
issued by Thimble Collectors Club [TCC]
Flowers - others
Sweet Violets - 1
backstamp ?
Flowers - others
Sweet Violets - 2
like backstamp 12
Flowers - others
Tenderness
no inner backstamp
Flowers - others
Trillium - 2
backstamp ?
Flowers - others
backstamp 16
Flowers - others
backstamp 7
Flowers - others
© 1990
backstamp 15
Flowers - others
backstamp 5
Wind in the Willows 1987
Badger
backstamp 14
Wind in the Willows 1987
Mole
backstamp 14
Wind in the Willows 1987
Ratty
backstamp 14
Wind in the Willows 1987
Toad
backstamp 14
Others
Red Squirrels
backstamp 7
Others
Hallmarked Thimbles of the World's Greatest Porcelain Houses set [50]
no backstamp
Others
special commission for
David Whitehead & Sons
backstamp 17
Flowers of the month
Flowers of the month
Wind in the Willows
Moss Rose
Old Country Roses 3
others
DO YOU KNOW ANY MORE DETAILS ABOUT
ROYAL ALBERT THIMBLES? YOU MAY KNOW THE MISSING NAMES, ESPECIALLY OF THE FLOWERS, OR KNOW OF OTHER ROYAL ALBERT THIMBLES NOT ON THIS LIST.
I AM ESPECIALLY LOOKING FOR MISSING BACKSTAMPS, OR THE VERSO VIEWS THAT ARE MISSING!!
Rosalie Webb - Mavis Wiskin
Rather it invites comment and contribution to add to our knowledge of these collectable thimbles and boxes
My thanks to the other contributors
April 2008
Brass Advertising |
British Placenames |
British Royalty on Thimbles |
British Silversmiths |
Charles May |
Christmas |
Coalport
Dorcas Thimble Boxes |
Easter |
Gadgets |
Francesca |
Hallmarked Thimbles set |
'Mother' |
The World's Greatest Porcelain Houses
Royal Albert |
Royal Crown Derby |
Royal Doulton |
Royal Worcester Handpainted Thimbles
Royal Worcester Decal Thimbles |
S + H Foskett |
Silver Advertising Thimbles |
Spode |
Stratnoid |
SylvaC
Thimble Books |
Thimble Collectors Club |
Thimble Societies |
Thimbles with Slogans
Thimblefuls |
Victorian Silver Scenic Thimbles |
Wedgwood Jasperware |
Wedgwood Bone China
aluminium 1 -
books 1 -
brass 1 -
china 6 -
display cases 1
gold 1 -
needlework tools 2 -
other collectables 1 -
pewter 1 -
plastic 1
silver 3 -
steel & metal 1 -
unusual materials 1 -
wood 1
thimbleselect@bigpond.com
I do not offer any type of valuation or advice on prices.
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Last updated 21 November 2009