Flambé Resting Drake Duck Figurine HN977 by Charles Noke for Royal Doulton, 1929

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Description

Modelled in a naturalistic resting posture, this ceramic waterbird sits with its body tucked low and its head held upright. … Read more Modelled in a naturalistic resting posture, this ceramic waterbird sits with its body tucked low and its head held upright. Crisp moulded ridges define the contours of the folded wing primaries, while the smooth curve of the full breast and broad bill provides an uninterrupted ground across which the reactive glaze pools and breaks. The figure is finished in Royal Doulton's celebrated sang-de-boeuf flambé glaze, displaying an intense, high-gloss crimson red. Achieved through high-temperature reduction firing using copper oxide, the vibrant red tone darkens into rich mottled claret hues, with dramatic black and charcoal shadings concentrated along the tail tip, wing rims, and facial details. The design is attributed to ceramic artist and Royal Doulton art director Charles Noke, who spearheaded the Burslem studio's technical experiments in reproducing historic Chinese reduction glazes. Produced during the interwar era, this example dates to circa 1929, capturing the period's taste for stylised domestic and wild bird figures. The recessed underside is glazed in matching red with a central firing vent and unglazed standing rim. It displays the printed Royal Doulton Flambé backstamp with the lion atop a crown and four interlocking 'D' emblems. Painted in pale enamel beneath the mark is the factory code ST68QY/25, alongside the model number HN977. The piece measures 18 cm in length and 8 cm in height. See less