Learn more about Francesca
  and other Character Head thimbles  
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FRANCESCA - AMERICAN COLLECTION - CLOWNS - COMPOSERS - DICKENS COLLECTION - DOGS - FAMOUS COLLECTION
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Francesca ... introduction


  Francesca  

Francesca thimble characters are the most prolific. According to the Thimble Collector's Guild in December 1986, Francesca were a small family firm in the heart of the Staffordshire potteries.

The company is no longer in existence. I believe that Francesca were taken over by Sutherland China, who used some of the Francesca moulds and destroyed the rest. Compare the Francesca with the Sutherland China heads and you will notice the similarity in the shapes!

I understand from new information coming to light with the surge in interest in Francesca thimbles on eBay, that Francesca was started by a group of breakaway painters from Royal Doulton in 1980.

The thimbles all have the Francesca backstamp [an italic F], plus 'Staffordshire England' and usually the painter's initials, with a two-digit date on the inside. The dates on their thimbles range from 1982 to 1990. From observation there seem to be some Francesca thimbles that are unsigned, or have the Francesca backstamp missing, or have no markings at all. They are obviously Francesca thimbles: could these be from the later end of the production as some have an 89 date but no "F"? Or they could be early "experiments"? You will also notice that there is an increasing appearance of unpainted, tho glazed, character heads - are these seconds or just unpainted stock - surely defeating the purpose of collecting these delightful painted range of thimbles?

All thimbles are hand-painted and the finish is glossy, not matt. Being handpainted by a range of artists has led to colour variations and even variety in expressions. If you are a collector of Royal Doulton figurines you will know the effect of a fine handpainter, against an average!

The following 24 painters' initials have been found in thimbles. It would be wonderful to find out all the full names. Can you help?

AD = Anthea Derry
AE
AG
BB = B Bream
DB = D Broom
GC = G Czapski
IS = I Sutton
JK = J Kelsall
JL
JP = John Price
JS
KS = K Sylvester
KT = K Taylor
MB = M Banks
MM = Michael Middling
MW
MY = M Young
NE = N Evans
PA = Peter Ansell
RB = Robert Band
RH = Ron Hearson
RS = Ray Shuff
SJ = Stan Jones
TK = T Kelshaw

Under the Francesca backstamp, figurines, mini jugs and candle snuffers were also produced.

I have divided the Francesca thimbles by the various character groups and then alphabetised them. The Francesca pairs are listed with the male character first. Where possible I have included the Dickensian story those ones relate to.

Recently I was so fortunate and happy to be sent copies of the original pamphlets advertising Francesca thimbles. I can't see if they are dated, but it interesting to note the "subject" groupings used by Francesca.

Whether this is even close to the output of the Francesca thimbles I hope to find out.

     


American Collection


Abraham Lincoln
unpainted version

American Bald Eagle

George Washington
unhatted
unpainted version

George Washington
hatted

Huckleberry Finn

Lady Liberty

Mark Twain

Martha Washington

Theodore Roosevelt
unpainted version

Thomas Jefferson
unpainted version

Tom Sawyer
unpainted-without hat version


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Clowns


Bojangles [#720]

Coco [#715]

Cuddles [#716]

Sparkles [#719]

Whoopie [#717]

Winkie [#718]

The clowns are only named on the boxes and not in the thimbles
the numbering refers to the Francesca catalogue numbers

An identical example of the clown "Cuddles" has been found - painted in 1986 - that is named "Beppo" within the thimble

A very observant Francesca collector has noticed that the clown shapes correspond to the Dickensian character shapes. What do you think? I think it shows how artistic and brilliant the Francesca painters were!!
Look at "Cuddles" and "Artful Dodger" - "Whoopie" and "Mr Dick" - "Winkie" and "Tommy Traddles" - "Coco" and "Bill Sykes" - "Bojangles" and "Uriah Heep" - "Sparkles" and "Mr Micawber"


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Composers


Bach

Beethoven

Mozart

Schubert


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Dickens Collection


Artful Dodger
[--Oliver Twist--]

Bill Sykes
[--Oliver Twist--]

Bullseye
[--Oliver Twist--]

David Copperfield
[--David Copperfield--]

Estella
[--Great Expectations--]

Fagin
[--Oliver Twist--]

Little Dorritt
[--Little Dorritt--]

Little Emily
[--David Copperfield--]

Little Nell
[--The Old Curiosity Shop--]

Magwitch
[--Great Expectations--]

Miss Haversham
unpainted version
[--Great Expectations--]

Mr Bumble
[--Oliver Twist--]

Mr Dick
[--David Copperfield--]

Mr Micawber
[--David Copperfield--]

Mr Pickwick
[--The Pickwick Papers--]

Mrs Squeers
[--Nicholas Nickleby--]

Nancy
[--Oliver Twist--]

Nicolas Nickleby
[--Nicolas Nickleby--]

Oliver Twist
[--Oliver Twist--]

Pecksniff
[--Martin Chuzzlewit--]

Pip
[--Great Expectations--]

Sairey Gamp
[--Martin Chuzzlewit--]

Scrooge
[--A Christmas Carol--]

Sergeant Bux Fux
unpainted version
[--The Pickwick Papers--]


Smike
[--Nicolas Nickleby--]

Tiny Tim
[--A Christmas Carol--]

Tommy Traddles
[--David Copperfield--]

Uriah Heap
[--David Copperfield--]

Wackford Squeers
[--Nicholas Nickleby--]


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Dogs


Border collie

Labrador - black

Labrador - gold

Old English sheepdog

Springer spaniel - black

Springer spaniel - liver

West Highland Terrier

Yorkshire Terrier


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Famous Collection
Many of these are famous pairs


Duke of Wellington

Josephine

Lady Hamilton

Lord Nelson
[with or without a hat]

Napolean
[with or without a hat]

Sir Walter Raleigh
[unpainted version]

Winston Churchill
[with or without a hat]


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Floral Bonnets
This is a set of 12 thimbles with four differently shaped hats- two types of bonnets brimmed hats and cloches. Each has a flower attached
There are identical thimbles that are also are named for the months of the year. The month is lettered inside the thimble


Primrose
aka July

Forget-me-nots
aka August

Wild Rose
aka September

Dogwood
October

Christmas Rose
November

Holly

Narcissus
aka January

Anemone
aka February

Violet
aka March

Pink Rose
aka April

Pansy

Cornflower


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Literary Collection
Many of these thimbles are pairs


Anne Hathaway

Anthony

Charles Dickens

Cleopatra

Desdemona

Dr Watson

Juliet

Lady MacBeth

MacBeth

Othello

Robbie Burns

Romeo

Sherlock Holmes

Tam O'Shanter

William Shakespeare


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Royalty Collection
These are famous Royal couples


Albert

Charles II
[with or without a hat]

Duke of Cambridge

Earl of Essex

Elizabeth I

Mary Queen of Scots
unpainted version

Nell Gwynn

Victoria


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Snowmen


Bowler

Cap

Top hat
unpainted version

Trilby
unpainted version


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Tudor Collection
This set of seven thimbles, featuring Henry and his wives, is boxed.
They are often displayed on a sloping vertical wooden rack, which was a free item on purchase of the set.


Henry VIII


Anne Boleyn


Anne of Cleves

Catherine Howard

Catherine of Aragon


Jane Seymour

Katherine Parr


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Others


Baby Bunting - blue
[with crib]

Baby Bunting - pink
[with crib]
the crib forms a pintray

Good King Wenceslas

John Paul II


Any questions or comments?
thimbleselect@bigpond.com

  Last updated 7 November 2008  
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