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Francesca ... introduction

Francesca

Francesca thimble character heads are the most prolific. At least count, there are 116 different characters. According to The Thimble Collectors' Guild in September 1985, Francesca were a small family firm in the heart of the Staffordshire potteries. They were named Francesca Art China.
'Baby Bunting' was first offered for sale in their catalogue of September 1984.

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 head thimbles 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 the 1970s but thimbles only made their appearance from 1982. Francesca probably began their range with handpainted figurines, the earliest of which being August 1976, with the Francesca backstamp + Francesca Art China and signed and dated.
As well as figurines, Francesca also produced signed bells and candle snuffers in the shape of figures.

left - backstamp of cat figurine, dated February 1980, signed S Jones
right - backstamp of lady-shaped bell, dated 1987, signed P Ansell

The thimbles have the Francesca backstamp [an italic F], plus 'Staffordshire England' and usually the painter's initials, with a two-digit date, all lettered on the inside as well as the name of the character.
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" maker's mark? Or they could be early "experiments"?

       
a range of marks inside Francesca thimbles + Francesca thimble box

Each character has the indentations on the crown of the head, like traditional thimbles, but these are not always apparent as they are painted over. All the thimbles are handpainted 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, as against an average one!

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 handpainted range of thimbles? The other thought tho, is that seeing the plain white blank, makes us appreciate the fine handpainting of each character? Many do carry the Francesca backstamp.

The following 31 painters' initials have been found in Francesca thimbles. It would be wonderful to discover all the full names of these talented painters. I have shared these names in the spirit they have been offered by collectors of the Francesca handpainted range - some still can't be verified at this stage. Can you help?

AD = Anthea Derry
AE = Alice Eckenstein
AG
BB = B Bream
DB = D Broom
DS = Dan Smith?
GC = G Czapski
GE [unverified]
IE [unverified]
IS = Ivan Sutton
JK = J Kelsall [or Kelshaw]
JL
JP = John Price
JS = Joan Sutton
KH = Keith Harrison
KS = K Sylvester
KT = K Taylor
KY [unverified]
MB = M Banks
MM = Michael J Middling
MW = Minnie Webb
MY = M Young
NE = N Evans
PA = Pat Ansell
PN
RB = Robert Band
RH = Ron Hearson
RS = Ray Shufflebotham [signs R Shuff]
was this the first painter to break away
from Royal Doulton - ie the founder of Francesca?
your thoughts?
SF
SJ = Stan Jones
TK = T Kelshaw

Under the Francesca backstamp, tiny character jugs, candle snuffers and busts were also produced.

 
these are included for completeness to show these non-thimble shapes - they are the Francesca tiny - not mini - character jugs

I have divided the Francesca thimbles by the various character groups (as named in the original Francesca brochure) and then alphabetised them. Where possible I have included the Dickensian story they relate to

I was so fortunate and happy to be sent digital copies of the original pamphlet advertising Francesca thimbles. Although the pamphlets appear to be undated, it is interesting to note the "subject" groupings used by Francesca, which I have tried to follow, including the group names. I have added the brochures below - the lettering is almost impossible to read but the groupings can be clearly seen - hope they are of use?

American Collection
there are 10 characters in the set

Presidents

Abraham Lincoln unpainted backstamped version part painted version	American Bald Eagle	George Washington without a hat version formed part of the original set unpainted without hat backstamped version	George Washington with hat version formed part of the original set unpainted with hat version
Huckleberry Finn	Lady Liberty this thimble did not form part of the original brochure's set of 10 thimbles	Mark Twain	Martha Washington

Theodore Roosevelt unpainted backstamped version

Thomas Jefferson unpainted backstamped version pair showing colour variety version

Tom Sawyer unpainted without hat backstamped version

Clowns Collection
set of 6

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 alongside the names 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"

Composers

Bach

Beethoven

Mozart

Schubert pair showing glossy & matt versions

Dickens Collection
originally I thought this was a set of 29
on closer inspection of the Francesca brochure
Charles Dickens is not part of the Literary Collection
he must then complete this set of 30?

Charles Dickens

Artful Dodger [--Oliver Twist--]	Bill Sykes [--Oliver Twist--]	Bullseye [--Oliver Twist--] unpainted & unmarked version	David Copperfield [--David Copperfield--] unpainted version
Estella [--Great Expectations--] unpainted version	Fagin [--Oliver Twist--]	Little Dorritt [--Little Dorritt--]	Little Emily [--David Copperfield--]
Little Nell [--The Old Curiosity Shop--]	Magwitch [--Great Expectations--] unpainted backstamped version colour variation	Miss Haversham [--Great Expectations--] unpainted backstamped version	Mr Bumble [--Oliver Twist--]
Mr Dick [--David Copperfield--] part painted version unpainted backstamped version	Mr Micawber [--David Copperfield--] unpainted version	Mr Pickwick [--The Pickwick Papers--]	Mrs Squeers [--Nicholas Nickleby--] unpainted backstamped version
Nancy [--Oliver Twist--]	Nicolas Nickleby [--Nicolas Nickleby--]	Oliver Twist [--Oliver Twist--]	Pecksniff [--Martin Chuzzlewit--] unpainted version
Pip [--Great Expectations--] unpainted version	Sairey Gamp [--Martin Chuzzlewit--]	Scrooge [--A Christmas Carol--]	Sergeant Bux Fux [--The Pickwick Papers--] unpainted version

Smike [--Nicolas Nickleby--]

Tiny Tim [--A Christmas Carol--]

Tommy Traddles [--David Copperfield--]

Uriah Heep [--David Copperfield--] unpainted version

Wackford Squeers [--Nicholas Nickleby--]

Dogs Heads
showing different breeds of dogs
a set of 8

Border collie	Labrador - black	Labrador - golden	Old English sheepdog
Springer spaniel - black face on view	Springer spaniel - liver	West Highland Terrier	Yorkshire Terrier

Famous
originally a set of 6 leaders and heroes
according to the original Francesca brochure

Duke of Wellington	Francis Drake signed & named this thimble did not form part of the original brochure's set of 6 thimbles	Josephine	Lady Hamilton
Lord Nelson with or without a hat the hat version is featured in the original brochure	Napoleon with or without a hat the hat version is featured in the original brochure	Sir Walter Raleigh unpainted version this thimble did not form part of the original brochure's set of 6 thimbles	Winston Churchill with or without a hat the hat version is featured in the original brochure

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 but the flower is not named inside the thimble
there are identical thimbles that are also are named for the months of the year. The month is lettered inside the thimble
first offered for sale thru The Thimble Collectors' Guild in Scotland, in July 1985

month backstamp

Anemone aka February	Christmas Rose aka November	Cornflower
Dogwood aka October	Forget-me-nots aka August	Holly aka December
Narcissus aka January	Pansy	Pink Rose aka April
Primrose aka July	Violet aka March	Wild Rose aka September

Literary Collection
set of 14
some are authors - some from fiction
many of these thimbles are pairs
the numbering alongside some of the names refers to the Francesca catalogue numbers

Anne Hathaway [609]	Anthony [616]	Cleopatra [617]	Desdemona [615]
Dr Watson	Juliet [611]	Lady MacBeth [613]	MacBeth [612] unpainted version
Othello [614]	Robbie Burns	Romeo [610]	Sherlock Holmes

Tam O'Shanter

William Shakespeare [608] the 83-dated thimbles show the indentations starting at the hairline

Royalty Collection
originally a set of 6
a selection of European royal personages
the numbering alongside the names refers to the Francesca catalogue numbers

Albert [623]

Charles II [620] with or without a hat the hat version is featured in the original brochure

Earl of Essex this thimble did not form part of the original brochure's set of 6 thimbles

Elizabeth I [618]

Mary Queen of Scots [619] unpainted version

Nell Gwynn [621]

Victoria [622]

Snowmen Collection
a set of 4
all have a sprig of greenery on the hat

Bowler

Cap

Top hat unpainted version

Trilby unpainted version

Tudor Collection
this set of 7 thimbles, featuring Henry and his 6 wives, is boxed
they are often displayed on a sloping vertical wooden rack, which was a free item on purchase of the set
the numbering under the names refers to the Francesca catalogue numbers

Henry VIII [604]

Anne Boleyn [602]

Anne of Cleves [606]

Catherine Howard [607]

Catherine of Aragon [603]

Jane Seymour [601]

Katherine Parr [605]

Others

Baby Bunting - blue

Baby Bunting - pink

Baby Bunting - pink with crib Baby Banting - blue with crib the crib forms a pintray

Good King Wenceslas unpainted backstamped version with a gold crown version colourway

John Paul II

Any questions or comments?
thimbleselect@bigpond.com

Last updated 14 March 2013

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