23. November 2009.

Largest Collection of Herend Figurines in the UK now at Thomas Goode.

Herend will be showing the largest collection of their popular VH or fish scale figurines at Thomas Goode, who will also display the beautiful animals in the dedicated Zoo Window for Christmas from November 9th. In addition Herend has made new a special colour – emerald green – available to Thomas Goode in Mayfair in London. This special colour is available exclusively at Thomas Goode until spring next year, when it goes on general sale.

These popular fish-scale figurines from Herend in Hungary [real name VH (Vieux Herend)] stir up a passion for collecting no matter what your age. You might have been given a baby bunny rabbit as a child, and been collecting ever since, or recently fallen in love with a great lion spotted in a china shop and now can wait for the next one! These colourful figurines of animals in all shapes and sizes appeal to all people for all sorts of reasons: some collect specific species like frogs or dogs, other a special colour to go with the décor whilst some have a selection of animals in various colours. About 400 different animals will be on sale at prices ranging from £54 to £1200.

The history

This type of Herend figure dates back to 1860, when the first little figurine of a cockerel was painted in VH colours for the famous author Mór Jókai who used the penname ‘cockerel’ in the newspapers. The pattern itself is older, for it appears on early Chinese porcelain figures as a stylized representation of bird feathers and fish scales. The Chinese forerunner, like so many other motifs originating in the Far East, was given a distinctively Herend touch that integrated into the style characteristic of the manufactory. Herend revived the earlier décor in the second half of the 20th century. Since then, more than 400 figures have been designed in the VH or fish-scale pattern.