Whimsies are collectable miniature glazed ceramic animals. They were the idea of Sir George Wade1 and were originally intended as 'pocket money toys'. The first Whimsies were available at the British Industries Fair in 1954. They attracted the attention of adults and soon became collectable.
The Whimsies were produced and sold in boxed sets, usually containing five miniatures, a different colour of box representing each set. Each was produced for limited amount of time, usually from one to two years, although some models were made just for a few months, so as not to flood the market and cause the models to lose their appeal.
