Royal Doulton Figurine Thanks Doc HN2731

Thanks Doc (HN2731) was designed by William K. Harper and issued from 1975 to 1990, standing 8.75 inches tall. It belongs to the Professions / Golden Years range — Harper's sustained programme of occupational and character studies that placed him alongside Mary Nicoll as one of the defining character figure modellers of the 1970s and 1980s at Doulton.

The subject is a veterinarian with a young Collie seated on the examination bench, the dog looking up at the doctor with the unmistakable expression of a patient who has come through something and knows who to thank for it. There is a story here that anyone who has ever owned a dog immediately understands — the particular relief of the surgery visit that ends well — and Harper told it with warmth, precision, and a genuine feeling for the relationship between working people and the animals in their care. It is said that Harper used his own Border Collie, Laddie, as the model for the dog, and that provenance gives the piece an additional layer of personal authenticity.

The dual appeal of Thanks Doc is significant: it draws collectors of the Professions and character figure range alongside the very large and loyal community of dog-lover and Collie-breed collectors, who pursue figures featuring their breed with consistent enthusiasm. The fifteen-year production run kept it in active circulation long enough to build a real following, and it remains one of the more sought-after subjects in Harper's occupational series.

Fully insured shipping across Canada with tracking.