The heyday of the ships figureheads was in the time of the tall ships and fighting sail. Gilded lions stared down from ships of the line, graceful princesses breasted the waves under the bow sprits of the tea clippers. These majestic figureheads were the inspiration for Royal Doultons limited edition collection titled Ships Figureheads, combining the romance of the sea with all the craftsmanship of Royal Doulton.
Each figurehead is limited to a worldwide edition of 950. Originally released as pairs in 1980, the collection began with Benmore and H.M.S. Ajax, followed by Nelson and Lalla Rookh. The Chieftain and Pocahontas were the third pair released and Mary Queen of Scots and Hibernia completed this prestigious collection in 1983.
Benmore was an iron, fully rigged ship built in Glasgow in 1870. She sailed the world until 1924.
The Ships Figureheads Series represented a new genre for Royal Doulton. The series of eight models is characterized by meticulous detail, historical accuracy and represent actual figureheads preserved in museums and dockyards in the U.S. and Europe..
