Two English Royal Worcester porcelain bird models

Designed by Eva Soper (1901-19901) and manufactured in around 1950 by the Royal Worcester porcelain factory, the charming porcelain figures depict two types of wild British birds.

The first, a kingfisher, is masterfully painted in shades of blue and orange, reflecting the real colouring of the bird. In the wild, they display an impressive ability to fish and eat around 5000 fish during the summer.  Soper portrayed the kingfisher with a fish in his beak, in a pose suggesting the fish has just been caught, encapsulating the bird’s superb fishing abilities. The bird sits on a polychrome rock.

The second model depicts a thrush sitting on the branches of an oak tree, the leaves vibrantly painted in green and the acorns in brown.  The bird is painted in shades of brown, with an interesting pattern on his belly and around the eyes, mimicking the real look of this bird type. His beak is wide open, possibly frozen in time during singing.

Eva Soper worked in a studio in a wildlife sanctuary and collaborated with the Royal Worcester manufactory since the late 1930s. She initially designed twelve models of wild British birds, which were followed by an additional twelve models in 1941. Her designs proved to be very popular and were in continuous production until 1986.

The bird models come from Henry Sandon’s (b. 1928) collection. He is an antiques expert and an authority in the field of Royal Worcester porcelain.

Soper’s experience paired with the superb quality craftsmanship at Royal Worcester created a magnificent and charming set of bird models.

Provenance: Henry Sandon Study Collection

Thrush: Height 12cm, width 11cm, depth 6cm
Kingfisher: Height 8cm, width 11cm, depth 7.5cm