THE name Beswick is familiar to collectors world wide, and this Staffordshire based company has a long history dating back to the late Victorian period more than a century ago.

But news quite recently that the owners of the Beswick name, Royal Doulton, were to close its Beswick factory came as quite a shock.

The brand may of course still survive under the Doulton banner, but whenever such a factory closes, it normally focuses interest on the wares of the company, and often generates even more collectors.

There's no doubt that Beswick has one of the most interesting outputs of any comparable factory. It is particularly noted for its animal figures, especially horses and dogs.

The firm was started by James Beswick in 1894 and while he started making fairly conventional tableware and ornaments, he did expand rapidly and by the early 20th century had three factories. His son John played an important part in the business and took over in the 1920s when James Beswick died. The company's heyday was the 1930s when it showed it was not afraid to experiment with new and innovative designs, and use the skills of up and coming and very talented artists such as Jim Hayward and Arthur Gredington.

Throughout the 30s and 40s, the firm blossomed producing lots of models of horses, farm animals, dogs, birds and even jungle creatures as well as the more usual output of jugs, vases and tableware.

The firm embraced the unusual Art Deco styling of the pre-war era, and the rather crazy contemporary shapes of the 1950s, and also produced a huge range of Beatrix Potter figures too.

All these items were widely collected even before it was announced that the factory was to close, and prices do vary enormously depending on age, and specific design, but some of the earlier and more unusual pieces will fetch several hundred pounds apiece.

Many other pieces are in the £25 to £50 category, though there is strongest demand for Beswick animals of all kinds. The more routine products are slightly less in demand.

The firm embraced many unusual themes such as Shakespearian, for example, and the jug illustrating this article is decorated with a scene from "A Midsummers Night's Dream". Made in the 1950s and 60s, the jug now has a value of close on £200.

BEST OF BESWICK: A Midsummers Night's Dream themed jug