Royal Crown Derby Koala paperweight. 1994 with gold stopper.

This Royal Crown Derby Koala paperweight was released in 1988 to commemorate Australia's bicentennial year. It was discontinued in 1993. This was the final production of this design. It is delicately painted in blue, red and 22kt gold, and decorated with eucalyptus leaves. Royal Crown Derby launched its first animal paperweights in a range of five birds and a rabbit at Chatsworth House in 1981. The creatures were beautifully sculpted by Robert Jefferson of Poole pottery fame, before being hand-decorated with the firm’s signature Imari pattern and highlighted with 22 carat gold. Eye-catching and of superb quality yet affordable, Royal Crown Derby paperweights are a collectable modern classic with broad appeal. What’s more, these addictive creatures make the ideal the gift for animal lovers, those with a passion for traditional ceramics or simply for someone who appreciates a beautifully crafted object. Production has expanded to over 450 individual designs that range from ladybirds, snails and robins to the majestic Golden Eagle. The paperweights’ stoppers serve as an indicator of the firms strict quality control. Gold stoppers indicate ‘best’, while silver stoppers are assigned to paperweights that Royal Crown Derby describe as slightly imperfect. That said, the firm’s extremely high standards mean that these flaws can consist of almost imperceptible manufacturing issues and can offer collectors the opportunity to obtain a sought-after design for a very reasonable price