LARGE BESWICKS ENGLAND ST BERNARD DOG CORNA GARTH STROLLER FIGURINE MADE BETWEEN 1968 AND 1989

THIS LOVELY, LARGE, HAND PAINTED BESWICK ENGLAND CHINA FIGURINE OF A 'ST. BERNARD' DOG, TITLED 'CORNA GARTH STROLLER' (MODEL 2221) WAS IN PRODUCTION FROM 1968 (ISSUED) TO 1989 (RETIRED) AND DESIGNED BY 'ALBERT HALLAM' AFTER A CHAMPION CALLED CORNA GARTH STROLLER. HE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND MEASURES 20CM X 6CM, WITH A HEIGHT OF 13,5CM. 
 
FIGURE IS HAND ENAMELED IN TONES OF RUSTY-BROWN TO BLACK WITH A WHITE NOSE, NECK, UNDERBELLY AND LEGS. FIGURE HAS A NICE GLAZED FINISH.  MARKED "BESWICK ENGLAND" ON BOTH FRONT LEGS AND "CORNA GARTH STROLLER" ON BACK RIGHT FOOT.
 
This fabulous replica of the Saint Bernard dog breed, is a rare and hard to find figurine. He is in mint condition (even with bloodshot eyes), with no chips, cracks, or crazing. The perfect gift for a Saint Bernard lover, or collector of fine quality dog figurines. 
 
The St. Bernard is a large working dog from Switzerland. They are known for their loving, gentle, and tolerant personality. Saint Bernards are giant dogs first trained by monks in the 1600s to locate and rescue people buried by avalanches in the Swiss Alps. 
 
MARKINGS: 
MARKED "BESWICK ENGLAND" ON BOTH FRONT LEGS AND "CORNA GARTH STROLLER" ON BACK RIGHT FOOT.
 
SIZE AND CONDITION:
13.5CM HIGH 6CM WIDE 20CM DEEP
NO CHIPS. NO CRACKS. IN VERY GOOD CONDITION.
 
BESWICK (1894-1969):
John Beswick Ltd was a pottery manufacturer, founded in 1894 by James Wright Beswick and his sons John and Gilbert in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, England. 
In 1939 Arthur Gredington was appointed chief modeller and they began producing farm animal figurines. Arthur Gredington's range of 190 Rearing Horsemen is one of the largest (and most popular amongst collectors) ever produced by the company. Under decorating manager Jim Hayward, there was a shift towards lifelike animal pieces, including cats, dogs, farm animals, fish and wild animals.
In 1947, Lucy Beswick suggested bringing to life the illustrations in the Beatrix Potter books. In 1948, John Beswick secured the right to reproduce a range of 10 Beatrix Potter earthenware characters, the first of which was Jemima Puddle-Duck, modelled by Arthur Gredington.
In 1952, Beswick began manufacturing a range of Disney characters including Snow White, Mickey Mouse and Bambi. 
In 1969, the business was sold to Royal Doulton. Although animal figures continued to be produced, by 1989, the Beswick backstamp  was dropped in favour of the Royal Doulton Royal Albert DA backstamp.
The Beswick factory closed in 2002 and the brand John Beswick was sold in 2004 to Darlington Chrystal who continues to produce animal figurines, vases and giftware under the Beswick name. THE POTTERY WAS KNOWN FOR PRODUCING HIGH-QUALITY PORCELAIN FIGURINES SUCH AS FARM ANIMALS AND BEATRIX POTTER CHARACTERS BUT ALSO FOR THEIR CHARACTER AND TOBY JUGS AND HAVE BECOME HIGHLY SOUGHT IN THE COLLECTABLES MARKET.
 
GREDINGTONS BIRDS AND ANIMALS:
The 1930s saw the arrival of Beswick's finest modeller. Arthur Gredington, who was appointed chief modeller in 1939, and found inspiration across the animal kingdom from cats and kittens to birds, butterflies and leaping fish. But he is best known as a prolific modeller of horses (he created more than 130 different equine models).
Realism and accuracy were key to these figurines appeal. Some were in production for many years.
Beswick animals are traditionally divided into half a dozen categories - and often collectors will choose to focus on one. These are: birds (covering a wide range to the precise realism of the Peter Scott Wildfowl collection); cats and dogs (many of the champion breeds modelled by Gredington were in production for four decades); farm animals (the most popular collecting area); fish (sophisticated models that have proved vulnerable to damage); horses (there are over 130 different models and many colour variations) and wild animals (a vast range from the comical to the naturalistic).