Royal Doulton Mickey Through The…

In this classic role-changing story the prince and the pauper swap identities. Mickey is shown holding bread and a leg of ham as he battles against the villainous Captain of the Guard. From his floppy shoes to his nose almost reaching the rim of his hat, this is a cheerful portrait of an affable mouse. It"s an image of Mickey at his best: when it was released in 1990 Mickey was clearly capable of handling two roles. Now you can appreciate a true Disney collectable as a Royal Doulton figurine. © Disney.

Royal Doulton first produced Mickey Mouse figurines with a Beswick backstamp in 1952 and, naturally, childhood memories made them extremely popular. True to this nostalgic tradition, Royal Doulton has created this exciting range of figures.

Arguably one of the most famous Disney cartoon characters, Mickey made his debut in Steamboat Willie in 1928 and went on to appear in more than 120 cartoons. He even starred in The Mickey Mouse Club TV show in the 1950s. No longer as prolific on screen as in his twentieth century heyday, he still makes public appearances at Disneyland.

In the original black and white drawings, the design focused on the use of circles for his head, ears, and body. From 1939, a bold new approach saw Mickey"s body become more pear shaped with pupils added to the eyes to improve his range of expressions.

During the 1940s Disney animators would add perspective to his ears to give a three-dimensional effect. But this proved short-lived. The Mickey Mouse of today harks back to the early days, with costume varying according to the role.

Now you can collect Mickey Mouse in glorious three-dimensional form as part of the popular Walt Disney Showcase Collection by Royal Doulton.