Beswick Dusty Mole and Animaland Character’s by David Hand’s

Currently Offering For Sale Loopy Hare from the Animaland series by David Hand – super condition – Take a look

Also Offering lovely Felia again from the Animaland series – Take a look at Felia

In my previous post I’m offering a Beswick dusty mole from the Animaland series developed by David Hand’s, so I’ve researched a little to give a bit of background to why they these characters appeared at the time and why they never really took of.

First there was eights characters  they are Felia, Dusty Mole, Oscar Ostrich, Ginger Nutt, Hazel Nutt, Dinkum Platypus, Loopy Hare and finally Zimmy Lion. They were meant to be Britain’s answer to Mickey mouse and Donald Duck, but unfortunately they never caught the British imagination.
David Hand’s specifically came to England at the behest of  Rank Film organistion to set up an animation studio, he was certainly the right person having worked for Disney for 14 years animating and being supervising director for such famous cartoons as snow white and the 7 dwarfs, Mickey mouse and Bambi in 1942.
But after all the development and creation of the characters and the cartoons were ready for the public in 1948, the Animaland cartoons and The lion and the House Cat, were criticised for their reliance on a narrator and their similarity to Disney. Also critics agreed  they lacked the sense of fun and madcap energy of the Disney characters. New characters like the introduction of Dusty mole and Ginger Nutt and his girlfriend Hazel helped to improve the Animal Series . But David Hand’s animators brought in from the States did not have the time to realise  their full potential as by 1949 Rank Film Organisation was facing serious financial problems.
In 1949 the Animaland characters were made into  eight ceramic figures by Beswick, but by the time these came to market in the 1950s the Gaumont British Animation studio had been closed down and David Hand’s had returned to the USA. So Ranks attempt at creating a British animation industry to rival Disney had failed.
The Beswick  Animaland figures continued to be produced until 1955, but they proved to not be very popular, and low numbers were sold.  Ironically, they are now highly sought after of all the cartoon characters, maybe a new Britsh cartoon industry could be created and these wonderful characters reborn.
Please see my previous post if you are interested in buying Beswick’s Dusty Mole, only asking £220 for a piece of cartoon history.

Beswick Porcelain Figures Dinkum Platypus, Dusty Mole, Felia, Ginger Nutt, Hazel Nutt, Loopy Hare, Oscar Ostrich, Zimmy Lion