Wade Whimsies

Wade Whimsies are collectable ceramic animal figurines, formerly sold as ’pocket money toys’. The Wade family name is famous in ceramics. The idea of making whimsies came from George Wade Pottery founded by George Wade in 1810, which produced bottles and custom ceramic articles. Post World War resulted in low demand for these pottery articles leading to the downfall of traditional ceramic industries. Wade Whimsies first came out in 1953 and were sold in colour-coded box sets of four and five miniatures. The first animal figurines were that of Leaping Fawn, Horse and Spaniel with ball, Poodle and Squirrel. The 60s saw Wade Whimsies hitting premium markets. One miniature was offered free with every box of party crackers or tea bags sold. Wade Whimsies switched to retail in 1971, selling a second set of whimsies which included 60 miniatures packages in 12 sets.

Today, Wade Whimsies designs have more to offer than just domestic animals. They include wild animals, dinosaurs, nursery rhyme characters, Disney characters, circus creatures, miniature houses, leprechauns and monks. The initial figurines have now become highly priced collectible items. Every Wade whimsy design boasts a unique characteristic feature of fine parallel ridges at the base. Some whimsies come with a base stamp which is either ink, embossed or has a gold or black label.