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Learn more about Francesca
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Francesca ... introduction
| Francesca |
Francesca thimble character heads are the most prolific. According to The Thimble Collector's Guild in September 1985, Francesca were a small family firm in the heart of the Staffordshire potteries. They named them as 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 with the Francesca backstamp on and signed, being 1977.
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. 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 handpainted range of thimbles? Many do carry the Francesca backstamp.
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, against an average one!
The following 27 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 from collectors of the Francesca handpainted range - some still can't be verified at this stage. Can you help?
A D = Anthea Derry
A E = Alice Eckenstein
A G
B B = B Bream
D B = D Broom
D S
G C = G Czapski
G E [unverified]
I E [unverified]
I S = Ivan Sutton
J K = J Kelsall [or Kelshaw]
J L
J P = John Price
J S = Joan Sutton
K H
K S = K Sylvester
K T = K Taylor
K Y [unverified]
M B = M Banks
M M = Michael J Middling
M W = Minnie Webb
M Y = M Young
N E = N Evans
P A = Pat Ansell
P N
R B = Robert Band
R H = Ron Hearson
R S = Ray Shufflebotham [signs R Shuff]
[was this the first painter to break away
from Royal Doulton - ie the founder of Francesca?
your thoughts?]
S J = Stan Jones
T K = T Kelshaw
Under the Francesca backstamp, mini character jugs and candle snuffers 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 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, which I have tried to follow.
American Collection
4 Presidents |
Abraham Lincoln unpainted backstamped version |
American Bald Eagle |
George Washington I unhatted unpainted backstamped version |
George Washington II hatted unpainted [white] hat version |
Huckleberry Finn |
Lady Liberty |
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
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"
Composers
Bach |
Beethoven |
Mozart |
Schubert pair showing glossy & matt versions |
Dickens Collection
Artful Dodger [--Oliver Twist--] |
Bill Sykes [--Oliver Twist--] |
Bullseye [--Oliver Twist--] |
David Copperfield unpainted version [--David Copperfield--] |
Estella unpainted version [--Great Expectations--] |
Fagin [--Oliver Twist--] |
Little Dorritt [--Little Dorritt--] |
Little Emily [--David Copperfield--] |
Little Nell [--The Old Curiosity Shop--] |
Magwitch unpainted backstamped version [--Great Expectations--] |
Miss Haversham unpainted backstamped version [--Great Expectations--] |
Mr Bumble [--Oliver Twist--] |
Mr Dick part painted version unpainted backstamped version [--David Copperfield--] |
Mr Micawber unpainted version [--David Copperfield--] |
Mr Pickwick [--The Pickwick Papers--] |
Mrs Squeers unpainted backstamped version [--Nicholas Nickleby--] |
Nancy [--Oliver Twist--] |
Nicolas Nickleby [--Nicolas Nickleby--] |
Oliver Twist [--Oliver Twist--] |
Pecksniff unpainted version [--Martin Chuzzlewit--] |
Pip unpainted version [--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 unpainted version [--David Copperfield--] |
Wackford Squeers [--Nicholas Nickleby--] |
Dogs
Border collie |
Labrador - black |
Labrador - gold |
Old English sheepdog |
Springer spaniel - black |
Springer spaniel - liver |
West Highland Terrier |
Yorkshire Terrier |
Famous Collection
Many of these are famous pairs
Drake signed & named |
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] |
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
Literary Collection
Many of these thimbles are pairs
Anne Hathaway |
Anthony |
Charles Dickens |
Cleopatra |
Desdemona |
Dr Watson |
Juliet |
Lady MacBeth |
MacBeth unpainted version |
Othello |
Robbie Burns |
Romeo |
Sherlock Holmes |
Tam O'Shanter |
William Shakespeare |
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 |
![]() Bowler |
![]() Cap |
![]() Top hat unpainted version |
![]() Trilby unpainted version |
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 |
Others
Baby Bunting - blue |
Baby Bunting - pink |
Baby Bunting - pink with crib Bay 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 13 April 2012 |