“Ain’t I A Woman?”
I always think of that Sojourner Truth plea every time I see Royal Doulton female figurines at auction. They are so lovely in their bone-china skin, beautifully painted gowns and their elegant poses. I have yet to see one of those women with a dark complexion like mine, though.
I recently came face to face with a group of the women at an auction house where I had seen a similar lot some months ago. As usual, these delicate ladies with their high price tags had been placed in glass cases to keep them out of the hands – and pockets – of brutish buyers. They were in perfect condition, without a scratch on any of them.
One appeared to be reading a book. Another lounged oh-so-carefree on a chaise. I know how to kick back like that!
I wondered if I was being too harsh on the company, that maybe these were antique figures made 80 and 90 years ago before the world realized that black was beautiful. So I turned over several of the figurines to check the markings on the bottom.
They had names like Gemma and Sara, and the lounging one was simply titled “Repose.” The earliest inscription was “Corp. 1953.” The rest were produced much later: 1971. 1972. 1980. 1993. 1994.
After I ranted silently to myself, I wondered if perhaps Royal Doulton had made some lady figurines of color, but no one was giving them up for sale at auction. So I went Googling to find those elusive women.
The company, I learned from its U.S. website, prided itself on its Pretty Ladies – “the most iconic and famous” of its figurines, each “rendered in fine bone china and lovingly hand-decorated; each one given a name and story.” They are a collectors’ wonder and “never go out of style.”
Royal Doulton has been making them since 1913, and they are among its most popular collectibles. The company itself got started in 1815 London manufacturing stoneware, bottles, jugs and industrial items. It began making bone china near the end of the 19th century, and it first introduced figurines at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.
Most of the Pretty Ladies figurines on the web looked exactly like the ones at auction. Retail sites were selling Celtic, Russian, Spanish, French, Chinese and Scottish dancers; Australian flower ladies; Barbie; a wedding cake topper; moms, dads and children; Disney characters (including Cinderella), Prince William and Catherine, and Queen Elizabeth.
I also came across a dance series seemingly inspired by the TV show “Dancing with the Stars” and thought, certainly, at least one woman of color would be among this group because we are dancers. Then I read the names of the dances represented – fox trot, slow waltz, cha cha, quick step and tango.
One figurine was dancing the jive, which grew out of such dances as the jitterbug, boogie-woogie and lindy hop, according to this Royal Doulton website. Since the lindy hop was an African American original, it would’ve been a good choice for a figurine of color. Maybe the lindy hop has too much sassiness and movement for the demure image of a Royal Doulton lady.
At least the president got his own. In 2011, the company introduced an inaugural dance figurine featuring President Obama and Michelle, along with an Obama character jug (following a tradition of jugs starting with Winston Churchill in 1940).
Finally, I came to Alicia and Christina who seemed to have a slight tint compared to the figurines at auction. They were not exactly my color (or the Obamas), but they were the closest I had come.
The next time, maybe I’ll see these tinted ladies at auction. If so, I’ll likely have to fight to get them, because buyers bid high on anything they think is black or African American (especially if the auctioneer tells them that it is). Meanwhile, I’ll just head over to Lladro, where I know I’ll find some figurines of color.
Or I can enjoy my collection of Lime dolls from the Dominican Republic that I bought at auction in October. They are definitely my color.
I too have been searching for Pretty Ladies that are women of colour, with little luck. Unfortunately the only one that I have been able to find in a google search was the African American cook from the days of Scarlett O’Hara. Not what I was hoping to find. No other groups are represented either. They are all lily white. Sad.