The Charlton Standard Catalogue of Beswick Animals

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

These catalogues are bibles for collectors: they are the best way to
assign a dollar value to a figurine or collection. Royal Doulton
figurines include such widely known classics as the Beatrix Potter and
Bunnykins figures, Beswick Bears, the cast of Wind in the Willows, and
the Brambly Hedge folk. While Royal Doulton emphasizes storybook
characters, Beswick animals are usually more representational of pets
and barnyard favorites. After Royal Doulton purchased the Beswick
factory, the distinction became less clear.

The Charlton guides follow a standard format. For each figurine there
is a photo, measurements, date of issue, note on color, and backstamp,
as well as a price in Canadian, U.S., and U.K. currency. This
cataloguing is punctuated periodically with color plates of the more
popular pieces.

While collectors will enjoy identifying their pieces, checking the
prices, and studying the pieces they want to acquire next, noncollectors
will marvel at the prices, shocked to learn that these small ceramic
dustables sell for several hundred (and occasionally several thousand)
dollars. Both books are essential reference works for all public
libraries, antiques dealers, and collectors of ceramic figurines.