Exceptional Royal Doulton Hunting Series Cocktail Shaker, circa 1920
This rare and remarkable ceramic cocktail shaker is a standout piece from Royal Doulton's celebrated Hunting Series, expertly crafted in England around 1920. The shaker showcases a charming pastoral scene rendered in a harmonious palette of green, cream-yellow, and earthy browns, set against a soft, pale yellow background.
The surface is both printed and hand-painted, featuring a continuous narrative around the body. The upper half depicts tranquil English lakeside cottages beneath a serene, light blue sky dotted with birds. A bold green band separates this peaceful vignette from the dynamic lower half, which illustrates a lively fox hunt—gentlemen on horseback galloping through the countryside in pursuit.
This collectible barware was produced in collaboration with the esteemed silversmiths Hukin and Heath Ltd. The shaker is topped with a sterling silver strainer and cap, both bearing official hallmarks. The base carries the black-printed Royal Doulton mark: Made in England – Royal Doulton England, along with model numbers and reference details.
Measurements:
Reference: Hukin and Heath Ltd
The silversmith, active as a manufacturer of silverware and an electroplater, was established in Birmingham in 1855. In 1875, the firm entered its mark at the Birmingham Assay Office, and in 1879, the founders, Jonathan Wilson Hukin and John Thomas Heath, entered their mark at the London Assay Office.
The firm was active at Imperial Works, Great Charles Street, Birmingham, and in the showrooms at 19 Charterhouse Street, London. J.T. Hukin retired in 1881, and in 1886, J.T. Heath continued the partnership with John Hartsghorne Middleton.
In 1904, the business was converted into a limited liability company under the style Hukin and Heath Ltd. The firm went out of business in 1953.
The firm is well known for its production of silver and electroplated wares in the 1870s and 1880s under the guidance of Christopher Dresser.