Elzabeth HN5671, Royal Doulton Figurine

Elizabeth (HN5671) was designed by Neil Faulkner and issued by Royal Doulton in 2014 as the Figure of the Year, standing 9 inches tall. Produced for a single year only, every Figure of the Year is by definition a one-vintage release — once the year closes, production ends and the figure never returns to market, giving the entire series its enduring collector following.

Faulkner's design places Elizabeth in an English garden, dressed in a blush pink gown decorated with clusters of roses in deeper, contrasting shades — the whole composition a tribute to the traditional English Rose and the warmth of a summer garden in full bloom. A broad-brimmed hat, finished with a hand-made rose securing the ribbon at its crown, completes the figure with the kind of considered detail that defines Faulkner's work at its most accomplished. The palette is soft but layered, and the outdoor, floral theme gives the piece a freshness and femininity that sits naturally in any display.

The Figure of the Year series, launched in 1991, has become one of the most consistently collected programmes in Royal Doulton's modern output precisely because of its built-in scarcity. Each year's figure is available only during that calendar year, and Elizabeth 2014 is now over a decade retired. Replacements, Ltd. lists her as out of stock and seeking, a reliable indicator of active collector demand.