Red Rose Tea Wade Whimsies Complete Pet Shop Set w/Shop
Manufacturer: Wade Pottery
SKU: MMWWPSSA
Price: $45.00
This item is in stock
Red Rose began to give away Wade miniatures 42 years ago, in 1967. At first the promotion was very restricted, in terms of the geographical area. Figurines were given away in Quebec, Canada as part of a short term promotion. The results were so successful that the promotion was gradually extended until it covered all of Canada. In 1983 the promotion was finally launched "full scale" in the United States. To date, it is estimated that more than 300 million Wade figurines have been given away in packages of tea in America. Although figurines had been offered to American collectors via mail and had been test marketed in two regions in the 1970's (Pittsburgh and Pacific North West), it was not until 1983 that they became widely available in the United States. While the molds were the same as those used for Canadian series, coloring and glazes were different. Wade Ceramics Whisper Wade "Whimsies" into many people's ears and it will mean only one thing...small animal figurines from the George Wade Pottery of Burslem, England. Wade began in 1810 in Burslem, England, with a small workshop and a single pottery oven making mostly bottles and pottery items. He soon turned his attention to the more profitable ceramics needs of textile mills, which supported the company into the late 1920s. As well as industrial ceramics, Wade produced a line of beautiful figurines, many Art Deco. These were so popular that animal figures were added. The line ran into a snag when it was found that the Cellulose finish turned yellow and peeled off with age. In the late 1930s some models were reissued with a high gloss underglaze finish. Wade Whimsies were intended for children, but they also appeal to adults who have not lost their sense of imagination. The Wade figurines have become collectors' items and are very much in demand. Today, Wade figurines are still offered as a premium with the purchase of Red Rose Teas. Many Whimsies, often those apparently in the same range, are different from each other. This is due to the length of time they were made and the volume of output. Molds became worn and were retooled for fresh use. Nearly all Red Rose Figurines, with the exception of the very first, have one significant feature: fine moulded parellel ridges on the underside of the base. It now seems to have become a "trademark" for all Wade "Whimsies" to follow, making them remarkable Red Rose collectibles. The Pet Shop Series was the series that started its promotion in 2006 and ended in 2009. This unique collection has the theme of your neighborhood pet shop! Cat, Tropical Fish, Kittens, Laborador, Duck, Pony, Puppies, Rabbit, Turtle, and Budgie. This is the complete set of ten collectable figures with the ceramic Pet Shop display platform.
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