If you mention collecting Beswick animals immediately spring to mind and Beswick has had a reputation for ceramic sculptures of animals that is second to none.  Although there were a number of years when Beswick was not as popular as before it now seems to have turned the corner.

There are two Beswick ranges - John Beswick and Beswick England.  John Beswick is low priced and designed in the UK but made overseas, whereas Beswick England is more prestigious and included limited editions made in Stoke-on-Trent.

Both collections feature horses and, as most collectors know, it was the model of the Epsom Derby winner Bois Roussel that started Beswick's connection with animal sculpture.  Beswick were lucky have employed Arthur Gredington in 1939 as its first permanent scultor, as his animal modelling skills were among the best in the industry.  What was so remarkable about Gredington's work was the replication of acccurate anatomy and proportions of animals in every model.

One of the most sought after of Beswick horse collections is the Racehorse Series.  This was started in the mid 1960s with Arkle and other prestigious champions soon followed, namely Nijinsky, Red Rum, Grundy and the more recent winners, Mr Frisk and Desert Orchid, among others.  Many of these horses could be had with or without the rider.

Many of these racehorses were modelled by Graham Tongue who sadly died in August 2008.  Graham's contribution was every bit as important as that of Gredington had been.  His attention to details was amazing - he would visit the horse and talk to the trainer and other staff so that he could get the know the horse.  He would watch the horse to see it in a relaxed state and try to decide on the best stance and expression for his models - he tried to capture the personality of the horse.  He would take many photographs so that he could check markings and other details.

In the 1980s a new collection - the Spirit Collection was launched.  One of the most impressive of these sulptures is Cancara - the Black Horse - which was used for advertising Lloyds Bank.  This was launched in 1994 with a special backstamp to celebrate Beswick's centenary.

Graham Tongue was also very keen on birds and you should look out for his birds of prey, such as the Golden Eagle and Bald Eagle.  He retired in 1995, by which time he had modelled around 200 different pieces for Beswick and he also made figures for the Royal Doulton backstamp, namely Mr Frisk, Desert Orchid, Black Bess and the Flight of the Trakehner.

Beswick's connection with horses continues and collectors can select studies from within the John Beswick and Beswick England collections.  Five new launches are planned for the John Beswick range for Spring 2009.

Beswick England made a special Trooping the Colour piece to commemorate the 80th birthday of HM the Queen.  It was modelled by Amanda Hughes Lubeck in a limited edition of 500.  There had to be extensive liaison with Buckingham Palace to ensure that all details, such as the emblem on the horse's ceremonial rug, were correct.  The horse chosen was Burmese, said to be the Queen's favourite.  Amanda chose to model the 1981 ceremony which shows the Queen in her scarlet tunic dressed with the badges and buttons of the Welsh Guards who were trooping the colour that year.

For her sculpture of the Huntman and Huntswoman Amanda visited the Cheshire Hunt to study horses, hounds and riders to make sure that her models were as accurate as possible.  She is following the example of Graham Tongue who trained her.

Other prestigious sculptures under the Beswick England backstamp include Swaledale Sheep, Sheepdogs and Fish and a recent model of a Red Stag, which was also modelled by Amanda and was approved by the Red Deer Centre in Scotland.  In order to get the stag to look as realistic as possible it was decided to create the antlers from resin and then attach them to the ceramic body.

While the modelling is the prime part of animal sculpture it is also important to get the colour and glaze right.  This is where Beswick excells and its first art director, James Hayward was an expert in this and developed a range of matt glazes and natural decorations to bring an animal study to life.  Part of the charm of Beswick is that many models are offered in more than one colourway to reflect the natural diversity of many breeds.

Beswick prices tend to vary but recent prices at auction have included £920 for an Arab Stallion with Saddle and £2,100 for a Huntsman in a light green jacket on a brown horse.  While these prices are on the high side there are many Beswick horses and other figures that come onto the market for a lot less.  If you are interested in collecting Beswick you should check out your local auctions, antique fairs and even car boot sales.