The redoubtable British ceramics maker Royal Doulton has long embraced popular tastes and enjoys a devoted following among aficionados of English pottery. Some are drawn to the company’s intricately decorated bone china dinner services; others are passionate collectors of Royal Doulton’s artfully hand-painted figurines, vases and bowls.
When founded by John Doulton, Martha Jones and John Watts in 1815, in the Lambeth section of suburban London, the manufacturer produced bottles and other storage containers and even sewer pipes in stoneware, a cheap but durable cousin of porcelain. Amid the Victorian era’s rising concern for hygiene, food safety and sanitation, the company flourished. During the late 1850s — having rebranded as Doulton & Watts and then Doulton and Co. — the firm was colloquially referred to as Doulton Ware. And in the late 1870s, it expanded its business into the applied arts.
The firm took over a factory in Staffordshire, in northern England — the traditional home of British ceramics manufacturing — to produce tableware. Around the same time, Doulton opened an art pottery studio in Lambeth, where vases, urns and other forms were decorated with painted scenic images, flowers or historical motifs.
Taking a cue from the venerable Meissen porcelain workshops in Germany, Doulton artisans began crafting figurines modeled on characters from literature and theater. The firm also helped popularize Toby Jugs and other “character mugs” — handled cups shaped as the heads of figures from folklore and popular culture. Doulton purchased a factory in Burslem in 1882, and King Edward VII granted the factory his Royal Warrant in 1901.
Royal Doulton china will always make an elegant yet not-too-formal appearance in a traditional table setting. Prices for dinner services vary according to size, age and condition, but generally range from $2,000 to $15,000.
Authentic Royal Doulton art pottery might be used by some as a bright decorative note; others collect the company’s figurines with the same interest and dedication as stamp and coin enthusiasts. A typical Toby Jug might fetch $50, while very rare figurines can sell for $7,000. Most of the finest Royal Doulton art pottery pieces sell for around $500.
As you will see on these pages, few decorative-arts companies are as aesthetically and stylistically diverse as Royal Doulton. The firm truly offers something for everyone.
Find Royal Doulton figurines, plates, vases and other collectibles for sale on 1stDibs.
Quality Antique Victorian Staffordshire toby jug of Mr Snuff
Located in Ipswich, GB
Quality antique Victorian Staffordshire toby jug of Mr Snuff having a quality Victorian toby jug of Mr Snuff in wonderful period clothing in pu...
Ceramic
Quality antique Victorian staffordshire toby jug of Mr Snuff
Located in Ipswich, GB
Quality antique Victorian Staffordshire toby jug of Mr Snuff having a quality antique Victorian toby jug of Mr Snuff in wonderful period clothi...
Ceramic
$695 / set
H 9.75 in W 4.5 in D 6.88 in
Antique English Staffordshire Pottery Toby Jug with Tricorn Hat Lid
By Staffordshire
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique Staffordshire pottery Toby Jug. In the form of a seated, smiling man holding a jug. The man's tricorn hat serves as a lid, and an inte...
Pottery
$100
H 7.25 in W 7.5 in D 5.5 in
Vintage 1954 Royal Doulton Rip Van Winkle D6438 Porcelain Toby Character Jug Mug
By Royal Doulton
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage 1954 Royal Doulton Large Handled Porcelain Limited Editon Hand Made "Rip Van Winkle" D6438 Toby Character Jug Mug. Circa Mid 20th Century. Measurements: 7.25" H x 7.5" W x 5....
Porcelain
Antique English Staffordshire Pottery Toby Jug with a Tricorn Hat Lid
By Staffordshire
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique Staffordshire pottery Toby jug. In the form of a seated, smiling man holding a jug. The man's tricorn hat serves as a lid, and an inte...
Pottery
18th-Century English Pottery Hearty Good Fellow Toby Jug
Located in Downingtown, PA
"The Hearty Good Fellow": Rare Standing Pearlware Toby Jug (Staffordshire, c. 1800) A charismatic and vibrant English pearlware "Toby" jug, modeled in the scarce form known to collectors as the "Hearty Good Fellow." Dating to circa 1800, this piece represents a delightful departure from the standard seated Toby jug, depicting the figure in a standing, convivial pose. The figure is modeled with a distinct sense of movement, his head turned slightly to the left. He is dressed in the height of Georgian tavern fashion: a deep cobalt blue jacket, a bright orange waistcoat, and vivid yellow breeches. Under his right arm, he supports a large white ale jug, while his left hand holds a pipe across his chest. Reverse & Construction: The reverse reveals a robust rustic branch handle that extends downward into a molded tree-stump support. This integral support was a clever potter's device to stabilize the standing figure during firing. Both the handle and the rocky base are left in plain white pearlware—an unusual variation (as most examples feature green or brown painted bases)—which highlights the crispness of the molding. Condition: Good antique condition. Typical minor flaking to the glaze on the rim of the tricorn hat...
Pottery
$80
H 7.5 in W 6.5 in D 6 in
Vintage 1956 Royal Doulton Don Quixote D6455 Porcelain Toby Character Jug Mug
By Royal Doulton
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage 1956 Royal Doulton Handled Don Quixote D6455 Large Porcelain Toby Character Jug Mug. Circa Mid 20th Century. Measurements: 7.5" H x 6.5" W x 6" D.
Ceramic, Porcelain
$125
H 4.5 in W 1.75 in D 1.5 in
ROYAL DOULTON - 'Pecksniff' - Vintage Dickens Figurine - U.K. - Mid 20th Century
By Royal Doulton
Located in Chatham, ON
ROYAL DOULTON - 'Pecksniff' - Vintage Dickens character ceramic figurine - hand painted - signed on the base (back stamp used between 1930 and 1993) - ...
Ceramic
$330
H 4.73 in Dm 5.12 in
Glazed Stoneware English Caricature Jug In The Shape Of An Old Man, 20th Century
Located in Greven, DE
Caricature jug in the shape of an old man with a hat Origin: England (Staffordshire or Devon, attributed) Material: Glazed stoneware Date: Mid-20th century (approx. 1940–1960) Dime...
Stoneware
$303Sale Price|20% Off
H 5.52 in W 2.56 in D 2.56 in
Antique Victorian Staffordshire Toby Pepperpot Figure
Located in Suffolk, GB
Antique Victorian Staffordshire Toby Pepperpot figure with a hole to the base of the figure for pepper and holes to the top of the hat to dispense. ...
Ceramic
Winston Churchill Toby Jug by Royal Doulton
By Royal Doulton
Located in Austin, TX
A handsome vintage Winston Churchill collectible character jug or "Toby jug" decorative mug by the English pottery firm, Royal Doulton.
Ceramic, Earthenware, Pottery
Winston Churchill Character Jug by Royal Doulton
By Royal Doulton
Located in Austin, TX
A handsome Winston Churchill character jug or decorative mug by the English pottery firm, Royal Doulton.
Ceramic, Pottery
Santa Claus Character Jug by Royal Doulton, England
Located in Austin, TX
A fine vintage Santa Claus character jug or decorative mug by the English pottery firm, Royal Doulton.
Ceramic, Earthenware, Pottery
Royal Doulton Bowl and Vase from the Arts and Crafts Period
By Royal Doulton
Located in Austin, TX
A fine decorative ceramic bowl featuring a foliate design around the circumference from the Arts & Crafts period, set upon a fitted round turned wood base, by the celebrated Engl...
Pottery, Wood, Earthenware, Ceramic
English Art Deco Cocktail Shaker by Van Buren
Located in Austin, TX
A vintage English cylindrical martini or cocktail shaker of fine plate silver featuring a stylish Art Deco design, with removable cap and strainer. Impr...
Metal, Silver Plate, Copper
Rolls Royce Radiator - Vintage Novelty Drinks Flask Decanter Music Box
Located in Austin, TX
A fine vintage Rolls-Royce radiator grille-shaped novelty whiskey decanter or flask with a working music box from the Hollywood Regency period - a sought-after decorative collectible...
Metal, Chrome
