North Lights - a History

This was posted on Blab today by Whitestones_uk.

History of North Light

First produced in 1978 by Guy Pocock and Anne Godfrey at the 'factory' at Yarn Mill, Biddulph, Stoke On Trent England.

NL started with dog models when designer Guy Pocock pioneered the application of the Kennel club breed standard to dog models available to the gift trade. Seven pedigrees were designed in collaboration with the sculptress Anne Godfrey and from their success in the gift trade North Light was born. In the pursuit of excellence North Light sketched, photographed and measured dogs of the first pedigree. 

The studio name was selected to refer to the ideal direction from which the light should pour into an artist’s studio, the North Light.

At the beginning they built up a line of 160 pedigree dogs. It was in the mid 1980s they began the working on horses. They also began to introduce farm animals, wild birds and other exotic animals from around the world.

North Light models are crafted in a mixture of ceramic and resin, with the addition of porcelain powder. Cold Cast Bronze models were a mixed with powered bronze then painted to look like bronze, they are heavier than normal NLs. 
North Lights were painted with Liquitex Acrylics. They were painted in a mix of airbrushing and hand painting by a highly skilled workforce. 

Dates on models are not the year it was made but the COPYRIGHT year

North Light went through many years of financial hardships and their history is 'chequered' ...

In 2005, the North Light factory located in Stoke-On-Trent, England was sold (including all existing North Light molds) to the company: WADE CERAMICS LTD. They repackaged and resold the North Light horses under the new trademark: North Light @ Wade. Production of most of the animal figures continued in the UK until July 2008, when the decision was taken to cease UK production of the North Light animals. A new range of animal figures was introduced - the North Light @ Wade Premier Collection - consisting of 17 horses and 22 dogs. The new range was made in China, but sold at a considerably lower price (sadly the quality of finishwork from China was not to the same high standard). Unfortunately Wade ceased production of all North Light figures in January 2009. All moulds are now discontinued. 

There are over 50 horse moulds.

Horses: Smaller Trad.
Arabian
Hanoverian
Morgan
Small Shire

Regular Trad. Size:
American Saddlebred
Andalusian (on and off base) [there were 2 types of base]
Lipizzaner - there were 3 different moulds: Piaffe [on base], Levade and Capriole [on base]
Broodmare (& Suckling Foal)
Carthorse with a rope halter and blanket moulded on
Clydesdale
Cob
Donkey Jennet
Large Friesian (head turned & up)
Friesian 1st version - head down
Friesian 2nd version - head up
Grazing mare
Hunter with braided mane & tail
Part Thoroughbred (same as the Hunter, but a loose mane and tail)
Irish Draft – braided main & tail
Jumper (with base & wall)
Warmblood - (same as the ID, but a loose mane & tail)
Mule with teeth showing
Percheron
Quarter Horse
Reclining Mare
Rolling Stallion
Royal Storm - rearing horse ( there are at least 2 sizes)
Shire Mare
Shire on the move (like carthorse but with the halter and blanket removed)
Shire Stallion (large)
Suffolk Punch
Thoroughbred (on base)
TWH
Zebra/Quagga

Farrier – horse with raised leg and farrier adding shoe

Pony Moulds:
British Spotted Pony
Welsh Cob
Welsh Mountain Pony
Welsh Pony Stallion
New Forest Pony
Norwegian Fjord
Exmoor Pony
Shetland - Miranda 
Shetland Pony.
Fell Pony.
Action Fell Pony. 
Dartmoor - Kirtly Ladybird
Dartmoor Stallion.
Pony Stallion
Highland

Foals:
Yearling Scratching 
Shire Foal
Small scratching foal
Lying foal
Shetland Pony Foal
Standing Foal
Grazing Foal
Arabian Foal
Donkey Foal
Suckling Foal

Micro Minis
Exmoor
Highland
New Forest
Welsh Mountain Pony
Shetland
Donkey
Twin Horses (lying)
Foal
Fell
Dartmoor

Ridden (moulded on tack and rider)
Child rider with pony
Pony Club with pony
Ridden Hunter (Huntsman) 

Dressage (small classic with rider)
Piaffe
Levade
Half Pass
Canter Pirouette 

As well as horse head 'busts' and 'Flying Horses' wall plaques