Throughout the cottage collection brown roofs represent tiles, beige roofs thatch, and grey roofs slate. I am wondering why the following model has a brown roof rather than a grey one, as this model was always meant to have grey. Perhaps a slip of concentration on the part of the decorator. Most decorators had perhaps just 2 or 3 styles of cottage to paint and would have the jars of specific colours  for these models, it would be fairly easy to have painted roofs with grey for example then to pick up a different type model and paint that grey also, in error. This could be why there are a few models like the one below, with the wrong colour roof.

 

This roundhouse is another model in a  strange colour that is unusual . I thought at first that this would have been a red roundhouse which perhaps had over fired in the kiln to leave a brown colour, that would make sense, if it were not for the red chimney. That too would have fired the same colour but that looks the correct colour red. So the brown was not a firing error, rather a true  colour.

Another model that does sometimes  use this shade of brown is the ‘Doctor’s House’ #14.

 

These models appeared on eBay with unusual colours. The windows and doors appear to be painted  brown rather than the normal black. Both have the same decorators mark on the base.

I have noticed that the Sally Lunns model (#36) is possibly the model with the most different colour ways. The roof I have seen in grey and also a thatch colour, the walls in sandstone  and also grey, and the windows in black and brown and many combinations of the above colours. Below are a few examples.

This was an awesome find. Aug.2021 at an auction in the UK.

I’ve never before seen a ‘Green’ Round House, I didn’t even consider that they existed. I was so amazed and excited. Happily, (thanks to my older Brother) I was able to secure it for my collection.

The inscription tells me that it is not a misfired colour but an original colourway. It does have an unusually dark roof, but otherwise it is a charming little model.

Surprises just never stop !!

Obviously Not !! I have recently ( May 2022) noticed something that I never knew before. While looking at eBay listings my attention was drawn to a couple of pictures of models that didn’t look “right”. This lead me to discover the existence of another style of The Village School ( #28 ). For all this time I was happy in the knowledge that this model came only in Red with a grey roof and a green bell tower roof. (These colours varied a little on some models). The windows were etched with square bars and the window surrounds and building corners were etched to resemble a white brickwork pattern. As below….

I was very surprised when I saw this variant :

I thought initially it was a colour error, as pop up from time to time. But notice the windows ! They are totally different to the normal, they have been remodelled totally, and there is no brickwork pattern on the building corners nor on the window surrounds themselves. Looking further, there are other differences, this model has windows painted on both ends, they are simply painted on and are not embossed into the model by the mould.

There are still 3 windows on the rear face, of the same pattern as the front ones. When I found it I looked further to see if the are others of the same design and, lo and behold, found more examples. Here is one example.

Having “Done this” for many years I was shocked that this has possibly been under my nose all of this time and that I never noticed. I shall ask questions of my brother, who was involved in the business, if he has knowledge regarding this. Wow… whatever next !!