Fairy Tales

This set of twelve thimbles have white motifs on blue

Produced for the Thimble Collectors Club in 1989

Rumpelstilskin Photo: The Thimble Society	Hansel & Gretel Photo: The Thimble Society	Three little pigs	Sleeping Beauty Photo: Gladys Junge	Wizard of Oz Photo: Gladys Junge	Cinderella Photo: The Thimble Society
Goldilocks and the three bears Photo: The Thimble Society	Red Riding Hood Photo: The Thimble Society	Jack and the beanstalk Photo: Gladys Junge	Pied Piper Photo: The Thimble Society	Snow White and the seven dwarfs Photo: The Thimble Society	Brer Rabbit Photo: The Thimble Society

Signs of the zodiac

There are several colour varieties.
white on blue - blue on white - white on Portland blue - white on sage - gold on Portland blue - blue on Portland blue - white on cane.
The first sets of 12 were made pre-1990 and were made in white on Wedgwood blue only.
Post-2000 sets exist in all the other colour combinations.
In the December 2005 issue of The Thimble Guild, there are several new colours of this set. These include white on pink and white on terracotta. The others shades available for the zodiac set are white on primrose; lilac.

In 2009 a variety of the zodiac thimbles appeared - with the zodiac names in a scroll below the zodiac sign.

Aquarius (cane)	Pisces (sage)	Aries (blue on Portland blue)	Taurus (blue)	Gemini (pink)	Cancer (blue on white)
Leo (gold on Portland blue)	Virgo (pink)	Libra (blue)	Scorpio (gold on royal blue)	Sagittarius (Portland blue)	Capricorn (terracotta)

Flowers of the Month

The floral Wedgwood thimbles were made for the USA market in 2004 and are a series of twelve flowers: one for each month of the year.
The thimbles are marked 'WEDGWOOD ENGLAND' on the verso
[tho some have "Wedgwood Made in England" just to add to the confusion].

The colour variations were only made for demonstration purposes at the Wedgwood Visitors Centre, from 2000.

Carnation January (2004) sage	Violet February (2004) blue	Daffodil March (2004) cane blue 2000 version black on primrose version black on terracotta version sage version terracotta version Portland blue version primrose version black version pink version black on sage version lilac version spruce version royal blue version
Sweetpea April (2004) Portland blue	Lily of the valley May (2004) taupe blue 2000 version pink version lilac version black version black on taupe version primrose version sage version terracotta version Portland blue version black on terracotta version mixed green and cane version mixed Portland blue and cane version blue on white version cane version black on sage version spruce version gold on black version	Rose June (2004) pink there are differently shaped roses blue 2000 version Commissioned by Thimble Collectors' Club Portland blue version black version taupe version black on cane version blue rosebud version black on terracotta version sage version cane version cane version 2 pink version terracotta version black on sage version spruce version royal blue version. Commissioned by the Thimble Guild to commemorate 10 years since Princess Diana died
Delphinium July (2004) Portland blue on blue	Gladiolus August (2004) terracotta	Aster September (2004) lilac
Calendula October (2004) black	Chrysanthemum November (2004) blue on white	Paperwhite December (2004) primrose

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Commemoratives
LISTED BY DATE OF ISSUE

Marriage of Charles and Diana (1981) blue Pair of thimbles Profiles of Prince Charles and Princess Diana BUY THESE THIMBLES	Marriage of Charles and Diana (1981) lilac Facing profiles with scroll beneath 'Royal Wedding July 1981' Prince of Wales feathers on verso	Pope's visit to England (1982) blue "Joannes Paulus II' on scroll BUY THIS THIMBLE
The Royal Birth (1983) lilac on white	Olympiad XXIII - Los Angeles (1984) blue The cameo has the torch bearer with 'Olympiad XXIII' and 'Los Angeles 1984' in a plaque on the verso primrose on blue version [Wedgwood Collectors Society] BUY THIS THIMBLE	225 years of Wedgwood [1759-1984] (1984) blue Features the famous Portland vase As well as having dates within the cameo on the front, the commemorative dates are repeated on the verso on this thimble In 1985, the Thimble Collectors Club [TCC] commissioned a set of 50 thimbles, The Hallmarked Thimbles of the World's Great Porcelain Houses. These thimbles do not carry the dates on the verso A new discovery in 2008 shows the same design as above but the lettering is slightly different. See OTHERS section
225 years of Wedgwood [1759-1984] (1984) teal A rare pair to this commemorative is the teal green jasperware combined with the Floral girl These thimbles are also stamped with the commemorative dates '1759-1984' on the verso verso	Liverpool Garden Festival (1986) blue	Trentham Gardens Quilters Exhibition (2006) cane on blue

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Other designs
LISTED BY DATE OF FIRST APPEARANCE

The colour variations were only made for demonstration purposes at the Wedgwood Visitors Centre, from 2000.

Josiah Wedgwood (1980) blue Part of the Franklin Mint Porcelain Houses of the World set of 25 Made exclusively for this collection, it bears a portrait of the company's founder, originally modelled in 1782 by William Hackwood pink version	Aurora (early 1980s) blue Portland blue version [available from the Thimble Guild in July 2005] royal blue version	Harrods (1984) blue
Swan (1989) blue Commissioned by the Thimble Collectors' Club terracotta version royal blue version sage version black on teal version black on cane version black on sage version Portland blue version	Pink Heath (1990) pink Commissioned by the Wedgwood Collectors Society of Australia to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the founding of Victoria Pink heath is the state floral emblem blue version cane version	Dove of peace (1990) black, with the dove uncoloured In 1990 the Wedgwood Society purchased these thimbles for their members The date is stamped on the verso like the Christmas issue There is a version of a dove with no olive branch primrose version cane version
Hamlet and Ophelia pair (date unknown) blue Each with name in scroll on verso scrolls black pair version black on taupe Hamlet version black on taupe Ophelia version	Portland Vase (date unknown) blue This one is different from the commemorative issue of 1984 for the 225th anniversary. See COMMEMORATIVES section. The lettering under this vase is different Est 1759 and there are no dates on the verso. Do you know anything about this issue? When was it made?

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Made for Demonstration Purposes
LISTED BY APPROXIMATE DATE
As Wedgwood has not produced thimbles in their factory in Barlaston since 2000, the following thimbles have only been made for demonstration purposes in the Wedgwood Visitors Centre.
They had been made in very limited numbers - I would hazard a guess that is under 8 per design and colour - so they do not form part of the official Wedgwood thimble output.
These thimbles are either marked 'Wedgwood England' or Wedgwood Made in England' with no consistency in either use!
The names are arbitrary and are purely descriptive!

Darwin (2000-) blue no photo Bust of Charles Darwin	2000 for the millennium (2000) multicoloured no photo	George Stubb's Horse (2004) terracotta royal blue version
Lion Rampant (2004) royal blue	Britannia Lion (2005-) black on pink	Heraldic lion (2006) Portland blue also available in sage royal blue version sage version
Viscount Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson 1758-1805 (2005) royal blue no dates black on primrose version Portland blue version	Stag (2005?) terracotta on blue black green and terracotta 3 stag version	King Tutankhamen Queen Ankhesenamum pair (2005) gold on black Queen and King red on black king version red on black queen version terracotta on cane king version terracotta on cane queen version
Diana Goddess of the Hunt (2005) black	Julius Caesar (2005) black Portland blue version	Venus and Cupid (2006) pink royal blue version Portland blue and cane version sage version
Portland Vase (2006) blue	Seahorse (2006) cane black on royal blue version black on terracotta version	Lily (2006) taupe black on taupe version black on terracotta version sage version Portland blue version pink version
Tiger lily (2006) sage black on taupe version black on terracotta version Portland blue version lilac version spruce version	Old English rose (2006) pink black on taupe version sage version black on terracotta version Portland blue version black version blue version lilac version	Anchor (2006) Portland blue no photo
Clipper (2006) Portland blue	Galleon (2006) pink	Mythical beast (1) (2006) red on black
Mythical beast (2) (2006) red on black	Egyptian Mummy (2006) red on black terracotta on cane version	Sphinx (2006) red on black
Egyptian dog (2007) Terracotta on cane	Egyptian bull (2007) Terracotta on cane terracotta on taupe version dark blue version	Liberty Bell (2006) sage royal blue version
Jon French - handpainted (2006) red on black no photo	Tri-colour agate (2006) by Jon French no photo	Portland dip (2006) by Jon French
Slavery (2007) commemorating 200 years since Abolition of Slavery 1807 black on yellow "Am I not a man and a brother" letered on verso no dates to see the bone china version of this thimble Wedgwood Bone China thimbles	Dancing hours (2007) black handpainted by Jon French 6 versions with encaustic enamel	Unicorn (2007) blue turquoise version dark taupe version
Churchill (2007) black gold on black version	Harp (2007) black on sage no photo	St George and the Dragon (2007) Portland blue no photo
Golfer (2007) lilac black on terracotta version pink version	Lady golfer (2007) pink black on terracotta version Portland blue version	Golf club (2007) Portland blue black version
Golf clubs (2007) black	Golf ball (2007) Black Portland blue version	Mother and child (2007) Dark taupe turquoise version black version
Woman's profile - classical Black	Woman's profile - facing right Blue on cane blue version	Woman's profile - facing left Black blue on cane version
Woman facing forward pink blue on cane version cane version	Urn pink	Capricorn black different from original 1990s Zodiacs
Taurus blue different from original 1990s Zodiacs	Scorpio dark blue different from original 1990s Zodiacs	Cancer pink different from original 1990s Zodiacs

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Anomalies
These thimbles should never have reached the collecting public - they may be trial thimbles or seconds, but as they exist, I have included them here.
Do you know of any others?
The cameo of the Flower Girl, has not been gilded
The primrose one may have been a trial piece for the Kings and Queens set or the ongoing policy by Wedgwood in making thimbles of any colour combination that is on hand for the potters at the Visitors Centre on any particular day.

Ungilded Flower Girl black on black

Colour variation for William 11 primrose

Colour variation for Henry 11 primrose

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A trip to Barlaston
Living in Australia I have always wanted to visit the Wedgwood Visitors Centre at Barlaston. I was staying with my thimble friend Vilma in July 2007 and knowing this, she braved the drive from Shropshire up towards Stoke-on-Trent. The whole journey was a total treat and this began as soon as we left the motorway and saw the signs to Barlaston. which lies south-east of Stoke. It is such a pretty English village - green with so many trees, adding to the anticipation by its wonderful rural setting.

The actual factory is absolutely huge and the workers' car park shows the vastness of the site.

And then we went in front of the Wedgwood Visitors Centre. My first glimpse was the huge statue of Josiah Wedgwood which dominates the entrance courtyard. Alongside is the Wedgwood cafe to enjoy morning tea and even here we were surrounded by Wedgwood's beautiful china.

The wonder continued when we entered the small shop that flanks the entrance to the Museum - and I was delighted to spot some thimbles for sale.

Once we'd paid our entrance fee, we were in the Museum with the display of the historic collection of Wedgwood and again sensed the superb quality of attention to detail and I could have spent the rest of the day just feasting on the treasures on display.

The hands-on section was beckoning tho and this seemed to be the heart of the Visitors Centre. There were various stations each manned by a Visitors Centre staff member. The first was a display of shaping a piece of raw clay on the pottery wheel and it was most interesting to chat and learn his background in the industry. The next person was making small clay balls - to a specific size using a calliper. Later we discovered that once fired, these are multicoloured beads which are strung into Wedgwood necklaces - whilst you wait.

And then joy of joys - the thimble section: at least on that day, thimbles had been poured into moulds. Maybe on other days, it would be other moulded items? We spent absolutely ages talking to the demonstrator and seeing how thimbles are made.

For me as the creator of this Wedgwood thimble site, seeing the display board of all the Wedgwood colours - 18 in total at that time - was worth the whole trip. These are Wedgwood jasperware discs displayed on a board. Sadly they are not named and the demonstrator could name about 16 of the Wedgwood colours. original Wedgwood jasperware palette.

18 current jasperware colours used by Wedgwood at July 2007 the lower 12 discs are the swirled jasperware colours

The next demonstrator works on the Wedgwood cameos. These are supplied from the main factory and can be placed onto whatever items other demonstrators are making for display to visitors. We were able to make our own small plaques and under supervision place our chosen cameos onto the plaque. These were then fired and despatched by mail to us: all for a fee.

There were also demonstrators applying decals to bone china ware and we were also able to watch two handpainters. Both take commissions and we watched a handpainted plate taking shape for a client who had supplied a photo. The other was a painter painting Wedgwood china figurines and one can commission the actual colours of the clothing etc. when on a visit to the Visitors Centre.

It was all so overwhelming that we needed a lunch break but were soon back for more and our ticket allowed multi-entry into the Museum.

We were running out of time so had to adjourn to the factory outlet shop where all manner of Wedgwood merchandise is for sale - no thimbles. These were only available for purchase - there were only around 6-10 for sale - from the smaller shop alongside the museum entrance.

There was no time to take the small visitor's train to visit the Wedgwood factory itself or to see the special bi-centennial display of the Abolition of Slavery merchandise by Wedgwood.

There was a lot of construction underway around the Vistors' Centre: a new museum. By now the new Wedgwood Museum should be completed and you will have a totally new experience from Vilma and me when you next visit Barlaston and Wedgwood. I urge you to visit this well laid out complex if you love Wedgwood jasperware. Most of the old established English potteries are closing or moving offshore - like Royal Doulton to Indonesia and beyond. Wedgwood are staying put with the vast infrastructure and investment in the parklike factory site of Wedgwood Barlaston. Just allow a whole day in your schedule to do it all justice!

Sue dwarfed by Josiah Wedgwood

massive teacup at the Museum's entrance

raw clay thimbles in their mould with a pink thimble to show the colour they will become

it's time for the thimbles to be unmoulded

preparing to remove the thimbles from the mould

Sue in the tearoom

Sue making a Wedgwood plaque

sponsor's board for the new Wedgwood Museum - under construction. sponsors come from all over the world

by now this Museum should be complete?

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DO YOU KNOW ANY MORE DETAILS ABOUT ANY OF THE THIMBLES LISTED ABOVE? DO YOU HAVE ANY ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS POSED? DO YOU HAVE ANY OF THE THIMBLES NOT PHOTOGRAPHED OR BETTER PHOTOS? DO YOU KNOW OF ANY OTHER WEGDWOOD THIMBLES? EMAIL thimbleselect@bigpond.com TO SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE.

Did you know??

Did you know that Charles Darwin was married to Emma Wedgwood?

Do you know any other interesting facts about Wedgwood?

References

Susan Jean Gowan. Thimbles of Australia. 1998

Marion A Nugent. Wedgwood thimbles. TCI Bulletin, April 1985

Ken Richardson. Thimbles indexed. Canadian Coin News, 21 October 1980

Contributors

Sue Burt, Sheila C, Sue Christensen, Sarah Constantine, Mary Craft, Joy Earles, Sharon Flynn, Katherine Hannaford, Margaret Hickling, Debby Hoover, Shaun Kahn
Elaine Kingston, Margaret Jackman, Denise Jenkins, Susan John, Chris Jones, Gladys Junge, Nicola Kissane, Masanori, Heather Pead, Elaine Pollard, Rachel
Bruce Read, Karen Stoner, Val Torrington, Kate Twomey, Anita Ulack-Chiarizia, Francoise Vidal, Joanna Waciorski, Ann Watson
Welsh Thimble Society, Mave Wiskin, Jenny Yuhas

For more information on Wedgwood please visit their website
www.wedgwood.com

This listing of Wedgwood does not purport to be complete or accurate in all aspects. Rather it invites comment and contribution to add to our knowledge of these highly desirable, collectable thimbles. My thanks to the other contributors