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I've always been interested in the Tudor and Elizabethan periods, especially the fashions and costumes of the day. My first dolls were produced back in the seventies, when my husband Roger and myself owned and ran a small craft shop. There was an arts festival in the town, and I made a collection of costume dolls for a window display in the shop. They were a great success and I sold every one; subsequently our doll making business grew from that. Roger's background as a potter and his knowledge of mould making enabled us to reproduce my one-off original sculptures, which were then slip cast in fine porcelain, ready to be made into dolls.
In the early days we produced many different historical characters, but the Kings and Queens of England always proved to be the most sought after, so we decided to concentrate on them. My large collection of history and costume reference books ensured an accurate depiction of each character. Scaling down and working out the cut of the patterns for the clothes I find very enjoyable, and creating the various hairstyles and headdresses is fascinating.
I still personally china paint all the heads and complete each doll myself, whilst Roger produces all the porcelain. In the past we’ve supplied many prestigious stores and historical venues, from Harrods of Knightsbridge to the Tower of London, but now we prefer to concentrate on working direct for collectors, which allows a more satisfying relationship all round.
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