Beswick Dogs and Cats
Ranked #1,472 in Hobbies, Games & Toys, #15,921 overall
Beswick Dog and Cat Animal Figurines
This great company was sold to Royal Doulton in 1969 as Ewart and Gilbert were retiring thus leaving no family to run the business. Royal Doulton continued to produce the Beswick models and for a time continued the Beswick name. Unfortunately in 2002, Royal Doulton shut down the Beswick line, and a great legacy ended. The beautiful figurines are highly collectible and continue to be eagerly sought out in secondary markets. This lens is about the Beswick dogs and cats figurines in particular, although I do touch on other animal lines.
Contents at a Glance
Artist Designers for Beswick Dogs and Cats
Albert Hallam was an apprentice mould maker, joining Beswick at age 14 in 1926. He worked his way up to become the head of the department, and after Greddington's retirement began modelling animal figurines as well, concentrating on horse, cats, and dogs.
Beswick Dogs
Old English Sheepdog #2232. This beauty is one of the large figurines from the Fireside series. He is 11.5" tall. Issued 1968-1989.
So Much Variety!
Beswick dog and cat figurines were produced in a wide variety of sizes, colors, finishes (gloss or matte), and breeds, as well as realistic models, comic models, and storybook versions. While most of their models were full body versions, they also produced wall plaques of heads and even combined several animals at times in one piece. There were also some commissioned versions that were produced standing on a ceramic or wooden plinth with a brass name plate of the piece.
For two years, 1984-85, Studio Sculptures were produced in which the animal and base were produced as one piece. Some of these were then placed on a plinth. There were two lines in this series: "Countryside Series" and "Young Friends Series." A new bonded ceramic medium was used for these figurines, rather than the earthenware medium of the original figurines. Prices were much higher also. The line did not do well and was discontinued by 1986.
Beswick produced over 184 dog figurines in their 108 year old history.
Breeds of Dogs Produced by Beswick
- Afghan Hound
- Airedale Terrier
- Alsatian
- Basset Hound
- Beagle
- Boxer
- Bull Terrier
- Bulldog
- Cairn Terrier
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Chihuahua
- Cocker Spaniel
- Collie
- Corgi
- Dachshund
- Dalmatian
- Doberman
- English Setter
- Golden Retriever
- Great Dane
- Greyhound
- Irish Setter
- Jack Russell Terrier
- Labrador
- Old English Sheepdog
- Pekinese
- Pointer
- Poodle
- Pug
- Rottweiler
- Scottish Terrier
- Sheepdog
- Springer Spaniel
- St. Bernard
- West Highland Terrier
- Whippet
- Yorkshire Terrier
Beswick Dog Figurines on eBay
Beswick Cats
Persian Cat - Seated, Looking UP #1867. Stands 8.5" tall. Issued 1963-1970 in ginger.
Breeds of Cats Produced by Beswick
- Persian
- Siamese
Beswick produced over 43 versions of cat figurines, each in multiple color lines.
"Cat Colourways"
Some of the colors and patterns used by Beswick aside from the common white or black, include British Blue (Lead grey), ginger, grey, Seal Point, Chocolate Point, shaded grey, dark ginger, striped in various colors, and Swiss roll. From the "Cat Colourways" one can determine whether your cat is grey, striped grey, shaded grey, British Blue (lead grey), or a Swiss roll grey. The Swiss roll is a pattern in which there is a circle within a circle on the cat's hip which makes up part of the cat's striping. A cat with the Swiss roll pattern in particular is generally much rarer and more costly than one without the Swiss roll.
Beswick Cats on eBay
Beswick Books on Amazon
Are You a Cat Or A Dog Lover?
Other Animal Figurines by Beswick
Beswick horses are highly collectible. This wall plaque is of a Palomino Head, model #1384, issued from 1955-1969.
Other Collectibles by Beswick
StoryBook Characters: Alice in Wonderland, Beatrix Potter, Joan Walsh Anglund, Paddington Bear, Peter Pan, Wind in the Willows, and Winnie the Pooh.
Cartoon and Film Characters:Disner Characters, David Hand's Animaland, Felix the Cat, Flintstones, Rupert and His Friends, to name a few.
Miscellaneous Characters: Bedtime Chorus, Beswick Bears, Fairies, Little Lovables,Punch and Judy, teddy bears, Toy Soldiers
Animal Fun: Bush babies, Cats' Chorus, Cat Orchestra, English Country Fok, Footballing Felines, Kitty MacBride's Happy Mice, Monkey Band, to name a few.
Beswick's White Rabbit from the Alice in Wonderland series.
Beswick Beatrix Potter characters
Links for More Information on Beswick
- Collecting Doulton and Beswick
- "The independent magazine for collectors of Royal Doulton and Beswick "
- World Collectors Net.com
- "The Original Collecting by Collectors Site Since 1996"
Beswick page - Perfect Pieces - Specialists in British Pottery
- Great information on Beswick backstamps
- Beswick Pottery
- Beswick article on Wikipedia
- Beatrix Potter Backstamps
- Storybook Figurines has a number of Beswick, Royal Doulton and Royal Albert figurines for sale. They also have this page on Beatrix Potter backstamps.
Squidoo Articles on Beswick
New Beswick figurines from John Beswick, grandson of the original Beswick founder
If you liked this article on Beswick dogs and cats, please give us the thumb's up
This module only appears with actual data when viewed on a live lens. The favorite and lensroll options will appear on a live lens if the viewer is a member of Squidoo and logged in.
Do you collect Beswick figurines?
I'd love to hear from you.
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TheTravelGal
May 20, 2012 @ 7:25 pm | delete
- All these are absolutely lovely. Love your selection.
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aksem62
May 20, 2012 @ 5:14 pm | delete
- I never collected Beswick figurines before, but your article is so interestimg, that I begin to think of starting to collect them
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WorldVisionary3
May 20, 2012 @ 10:58 am | delete
- I don't collect these, but some of them are quite adorable. Thumbs up!
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scarlettohairy Apr 25, 2012 @ 2:08 am | delete
- I'd never heard of Beswick figurines. They are sweet!
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bames24
Apr 12, 2012 @ 5:13 am | delete
- lovely figurines... how I wish I could have them all :)
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rayray131
Feb 11, 2012 @ 10:53 am | delete
- Great lens, these are one of the few collectibles that I have knowledge about.
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gottaloveit
Dec 20, 2011 @ 3:58 pm | delete
- Beautiful figurines and nicely laid out on your Squidoo lens.
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AlleyCatLane
Dec 20, 2011 @ 4:05 pm | delete
- Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the thumb's up.
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fugeecat
Nov 13, 2011 @ 12:13 am | delete
- I have the Beatrix Potter figurines. I love em. I got them as gifts as I was growing up.
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AlleyCatLane
Nov 13, 2011 @ 8:06 am | delete
- Thanks for visiting and leaving a thumb's up. How wonderful that someone gifted you some of these wonderful figurines. Enjoy your collection.
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- Load More
Photo Credits
All photos are photos I have taken for items in my shop at Alley Cat Lane or from items I have sold.
A little about the author
Come join me on Squidoo. It is a wonderful place to be. It's free and so much fun. Just click here: Join Squidoo
My Shop Links
- Alley Cat Lane at Ruby Lane
- Great collectibles, friendly service, careful packing and quick shipping. Purrfect!!
- Alley Cat Lane at Ruby Plaza
- Wonderful new and recent used collectibles. If it's not in my Ruby Lane shop, check here.
- Alley Cat Lane at The Vintage Village
- Great networking site for dealers and lovers of vintage, The Vintage Village
- Ruby Lane Collectibles Home Page
- The best online fixed price selling site.
- Alley Cat Lane on FaceBook
- Fan Page on FaceBook
Some of my other Squidoo articles you might enjoy
Index for Beswick Dogs and Cats
Just click on a link below to jump back to that spot in the article.
- Artist Designers for Beswick Dogs and Cats
- Beswick Dogs
- So Much Variety!
- Breeds of Dogs Produced by Beswick
- Beswick Dog Figurines on eBay
- "Sheldon talks about Beswick dogs"
- Beswick Cats
- Breeds of Cats Produced by Beswick
- "Cat Colourways"
- Beswick Cats on eBay
- Beswick Books on Amazon
- Are You a Cat Or A Dog Lover?
- Other Animal Figurines by Beswick
- Other Collectibles by Beswick
- Beswick Beatrix Potter characters
- Links for More Information on Beswick
- Squidoo Articles on Beswick
- New Beswick figurines from John Beswick, grandson of the original Beswick founder
- Bookmark This Page
- If you liked this article on Beswick dogs and cats, please give us the thumb's up
- Do you collect Beswick figurines?
- Photo Credits
- A little about the author
- My Shop Links
- Some of my other Squidoo articles you might enjoy
by AlleyCatLane
This article features one of my favorite collectibles, Beswick dogs and cats. Hope you enjoy it. Take a look at the end of the article to find other a... more »
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Beswick Collectables
Beswick Collectables: A Charlton Standard Catalogue
Amazon Price: $35.95 (as of 05/28/2012)
Great guide if you sell or collect Beswick collectables of storybook characters, cartoon and film characters, as well as other figurines.
Beswick Animals by Callows and Sweets
Beswick Animals (Charlton Standard Catalogue)
Amazon Price: $2,461.35 (as of 05/28/2012)
Each item is depicted in a black and white photo and lists the details on model number, name, designer, height, colors, issue dates, description, and price guides for the UK, US and Canada. A wide variety of topics ar covered: Birds, Butterfliy Plaques, Cats, Dogs, Farm Animals, Fish, Horses, Wild Animals,etc.
