Arthur Wiener acquired his first piece of pottery in 1965 when he traveled to London, as a young college graduate, armed with Frommer’s seminal guidebook Europe on $5 a day. He blew his daily budget on a Royal Doulton character jug of Merlin the magician, which caught his eye in

Louise Irvine is an expert in British ceramic history and her career in the UK and the USA has been devoted to promoting a greater appreciation of the fired arts through publishing, lecturing, and exhibitions. She is regarded as the leading authority on Royal Doulton antiques, having published more than