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Product
Each of Royal Doulton’s principal brands — Royal Doulton, Minton, and Royal Albert — enjoys a long association of royal patronage, and holds at least one Royal Warrant. They are also trademark registered.
When drawing up new product design, Royal Doulton designers study the market, analyze consumer research, and often refer to their own archives for inspiration. The Royal Doulton Archives, located at the Sir Henry Doulton Gallery in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, house a variety of material dating from 1815 to the present. The Royal Doulton Pattern Books contain over 10,000 hand-painted watercolors, illustrating the talent of artists over the years. Apart from providing an invaluable historical record of decorative ceramic styles — from the exquisitely gilded and delicately hand-painted cabinet and tableware of the Victorian and Edwardian era to the bright, bold, angular design of 1930s Art Deco — this collection is inspirational for today’s Design Studio.
As well as a wide range of tableware, Royal Doulton today lists among its products an extensive giftware collection, which includes character jugs, china flowers, and an array of collectable figurines and sculptures. Some of the figurines are inspired by history and literature — such as the figures of Heathcliffe and Cathy from Wuthering Heights and Shakespeare’s tragic lovers, Romeo and Juliet.
For junior members of the household, Royal Doulton produces nurseryware, although many of these product lines are of interest to adult collectors as well. The most popular collection is “Bunnykins,” while “Brambly Hedge” giftware and the Disney collections such as “Winnie the Pooh” have also excited and sustained much interest. Royal Albert, which traces its origins back to 1896, has become an internationally recognized brand, offering domestic tableware and gift items. Royal Albert’s “Old Country Roses” is the world’s best-selling bone china pattern, with over 150 million pieces having been sold since its introduction in 1962.
Equally famous, with an illustrious heritage dating back to 1793, is the Minton brand, currently best known for its popular Haddon Hall pattern, a particular favorite of the Japanese market. Minton is also renowned for its intricate gold decoration, where one plate can cost $7,000. Many of these unique works of art are purchased as heirlooms.
Royal Doulton has a manufacturing capacity of around 500,000 pieces per week. Its tableware production factories are considered among the most advanced in the world — a tribute to the research and development department based in Stoke-on-Trent. The company is noted for its high standard of working practices and technology, which is heralded as among the most developed and professional in the entire international china industry
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