Royal Doulton Bunnykins ‘Hunt Ball’ Nursery Bowl, signed Barbara Vernon, c. 1940

A Bunnykins nursery bowl with a transfer print image of two bunnies, dressed up for the hunt ball, being pulled in a cart by a giant yellow chick. The design was introduced in 1940 and is signed Barbara Vernon. Around the flat edge of the bowl is a line of running rabbits. On the base is the first Bunnykins backstamp dating between 1937-1953, which featured three bunnies under the Royal Doulton logo with the word “Bunnykins” below.

The bowl shows signs of use with scratches to the image. However, there are no cracks or chips.

The Bunnykins design was created by Sister Mary Barbara Bailey (née Barbara Vernon Bailey). The daughter of Cuthbert Bailey, general manager of Doulton during the 1930s, she provided the illustrations while a nun in the Augustinian Canonesses of the Lateran. In 1950, Bailey stopped illustrating and drawing when her teaching duties made her too busy. Other designers (including Hubert Light, Walter Hayward, Colin Twinn and Frank Endersby) took over the designing process. Bunnykins china was used by Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret and so became popular as a christening present.