Wedgwood Children's Story Plate Hansel and Gretel The Brothers Grimm

Wedgwood Children's Story China Collector Plate

Hansel and Gretel
1976

Annual editions of collector's series were an important part of the production during the last quarter of the twentieth century. Between 1971 and 1985 Wedgwood retailed a special series of plates for young collectors called 'Children's Stories'. These were in Queen's ware with bright printed designs, each depicting a different fairy tale. The series was issued on 'Edme' shaped compotiers - listed as shape number 5000. The artist behind Children's Stories was not disclosed. The number of plates created was limited by the year of issue, but the size of the edition was not released. The sixth plate in the series depicted a scene from the Brothers Grimm's 'Hansel and Gretel'.

The plate's pattern number is NM814 and was entered in the Wedgwood pattern book in September 1975, meaning production may have started during that year. The plate has a colorful central scene depicting the siblings being held by the witch in the woods outside the gingerbread house.

At the top of the scene is the legend 'CHILDREN'S STORY 1976', whilst at the bottom of the scene is the legend '"HANSEL AND GRETEL" BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM'. The plate's back stamp gives a precis of the story. Items in the Children's Stories series were sold boxed and with a color leaflet featuring a line drawing of the central scene for the recipient child to color in.