Charles Noke was born in Worcester, almost in the shadow of the famous china factory there, so it was no surprise that at aged 15, he started working there as an apprentice modeller. However, it was at Royal Doulton in Burslem that Noke was to make his name. He joined the firm in 1889, rising to the position of Chief Modeller and the man responsible for reintroducing Staffordshire figure-making. Without Noke, there would be no Doulton crinoline ladies and other figures bearing the factory’s easily traceable HN numbers, now so loved by collectors. Acclaim for Noke’s modelling skills came at the Chicago Exhibition of 1893 when he produced a number of prestige figures in Renaissance style. Generally larger than the later HN series, they were made in a Doulton style of Parian porcelain, tinted an ivory or vellum shade but probably too large and expensive for widespread appeal. Among them was this now rare Beefeater figure raising a toast to the Queen, which turned up at
Leyland auctioneers Warren & Wignall. Its owner, who had no idea of its value, emailed an image of it to auctioneer Peter Warren and was subsequently rewarded, much to her surprise, with a selling price of £2,900.