Beswick collectors will have another opportunity to acquire pieces from the remarkable Guy Heath Collection when 230 lots of Beswick pottery, horses, animals and collector’s models go under the hammer at Potteries Auctions on Thursday 24 September 2026.
Rare Beswick Models & Collector’s Favourites from the Guy Heath Collection takes place at our Silverdale Saleroom from 11am BST, with bidding available live and online. Viewing is available at Silverdale on the morning of the auction from 8am until 11am.
From rare Beswick horses and unusual colourways to prototypes, dogs, cats, cattle, birds and classic Beswick Ware, the auction offers pieces for both established collectors and those beginning a Beswick collection.
This is the latest selection from the lifelong collection of Guy Heath, whose passion and knowledge of Beswick made him a well-known and respected figure within the collecting community.
Read more about the story behind The Guy Heath Collection.
Rare Beswick Horses Lead the September Auction
For many collectors, Beswick horses remain the most recognisable and desirable part of the factory’s output, and they form a major part of this auction.
The sale contains everything from accessible foals, ponies and familiar models through to unusual colourways and rare figures carrying four-figure auction estimates.
One of the highlights is a rare Beswick Cantering Shire, Model 975, in a striking piebald colourway with pink nose detail. Standing 22cm high, the figure carries an auction estimate of £1,000–£3,000.
Another exceptional entry is a rare first-version Beswick Prancing Arab, Model 1261, finished in sorrel with particularly fine detail and estimated at £800–£1,600.
Collectors of rare Beswick horses should also look out for a Chestnut Pinto, Model 1373, with blue nose, estimated at £800–£1,200, together with a rare Galloping Horse, Model 1374, in chestnut gloss with blue nose, estimated at £300–£600.
Other equestrian pieces include Arab horses, Connoisseur horses, racehorses, foals, mares, Thelwell ponies, mounted figures and different examples of the same models in contrasting finishes and colourways.
For collectors researching their own figures, our guide to which Beswick horses sell well at auction explains some of the factors that can make one model considerably more desirable than another.
A Rare Beswick Prototype of The Outlaw
One of the most intriguing pieces in the entire sale is a rare prototype of The Outlaw, produced in 1973 in a matt-glazed finish.
The trial study was originally allocated model number 2451 but was never put into production, making it a particularly unusual opportunity for serious Beswick collectors.
It carries an auction estimate of £1,500–£3,000, placing it among the highest-estimated lots in the sale.
Prototype and trial pieces can be especially fascinating because they offer an insight into designs and finishes considered by the factory but which may never have reached normal production.
Are Rare Beswick Horses Valuable?
One of the most common questions we receive is simply: are Beswick horses valuable?
The answer depends heavily on the individual model.
Many Beswick horses remain affordable collectables, while genuinely rare models, prototypes and unusual colourways can attract substantially higher prices.
This auction demonstrates the difference particularly well. There are numerous foals and horse figures with estimates beginning at around £20–£60, while some of the rarest horses in the same collection carry estimates running into four figures.
Factors such as the model number, colourway, finish, rarity, condition and production history can all influence how much collectors are prepared to pay. Prototype and unusual factory pieces can command particular interest.
Our existing Beswick Pottery & Figurines Value Guide provides a broader introduction to Beswick values, while collectors specifically interested in exceptional equestrian pieces can explore our Top 10 Most Valuable Beswick Horses Ever Sold. If you have any Beswick items you would like to be valued, please contact us today.
Get a Free Auction Estimate for Your Beswick
Beswick Horses Price Guide: Why Identifying the Exact Model Matters
Anyone searching for a Beswick horses price guide will quickly discover that there is no single price that can be applied to every figure.
Two horses that initially look similar can have very different values.
The September Guy Heath sale contains an excellent example in the form of several versions of Beswick Model 1374, the Galloping Horse. A palomino gloss example is estimated at £60–£80, a grey gloss example at £150–£300, while the rare chestnut gloss version with blue nose carries a considerably higher estimate of £300–£600.
That is why identifying the exact model, colour and finish is so important when valuing Beswick pottery.
Likewise, the sale includes multiple versions of the Prancing Arab Model 1261, ranging from more familiar finishes through to the rare first-version sorrel example estimated at £800–£1,600.
Auction estimates are guides rather than guaranteed selling prices, but comparisons like these illustrate just how significantly rarity and variation can influence collector interest.
More Than Horses: Beswick Animals, Dogs, Cats, Birds & Cattle
Although Beswick horses are likely to attract significant attention, the Guy Heath Collection goes much further.
Among the Beswick dogs is a rare Boxer, Model 3081, in an unusual brindle colourway, estimated at £300–£600. There is also a large Fireside Old English Sheepdog advertising a Dulux paint pot, Model 1990, estimated at £150–£300.
Farm animal collectors can choose from Beswick Hereford, Charolais, Jersey and Friesian cattle. Highlights include a Roan Calf, Model 901B, estimated at £200–£400, together with rare cattle family groups.
The bird selection ranges from budgerigars, owls and American bird models through to a large blue penguin and a white turkey by Albert Hallam. There are also numerous Beswick cats, including unusual Swiss Roll colourways, Persian cats and rarer seated examples.
Wildlife collectors will find models including leopards, lions, a tiger, bear, puma, hare, beavers and other familiar Beswick animals.
It makes the auction particularly interesting for anyone searching for Beswick figurines, Beswick animals for sale, rare Beswick pottery or Beswick collectables, rather than horses alone.
How Do You Identify Rare Beswick Pottery?
When examining a Beswick figure, the underside of the piece can often provide important clues.
Model numbers, factory marks and backstamps can help identify the design and production period. The colourway and finish should then be compared with known examples of that particular model.
Condition is also important. Chips, cracks and restoration can affect value, while original factory details, labels and unusual finishes can be significant to collectors.
If you are trying to identify a piece at home, our Beswick Pottery Marks & Backstamps Guide explains how Beswick marks changed and what to look for when researching a figure.
Beswick Pottery for Sale at Auction
Specialist auctions can be particularly useful for Beswick collectors because they bring numerous models together in one sale.
Rather than searching for an individual figure in isolation, collectors can compare different models, colourways, estimates and subjects within the same catalogue.
This September auction contains 230 lots, with estimates ranging from affordable groups and individual figures through to scarce models expected to attract serious specialist interest.
Whether you collect Beswick horses, dogs, cats, cattle, birds, character figures or unusual factory pieces, there is considerable variety throughout the sale.
Rare Beswick Models & Collector’s Favourites – Auction Details
Auction: Rare Beswick Models & Collector’s Favourites from the Guy Heath Collection
Date: Thursday 24 September 2026
Time: 11:00am BST
Lots: 1–230
Venue: Potteries Auctions, Silverdale Saleroom
Viewing: 24 September 2026, 8:00am–11:00am
Bidding: Live and online
View the full auction catalogue and register to bid online.
Have You Got Beswick Pottery to Sell?
Potteries Auctions has specialised in Beswick and British ceramics for decades, handling everything from individual figures to major private collections.
If you have Beswick horses, figurines, animals or a larger Beswick collection and would like to know what they could be worth at auction, our specialists can provide a free, no-obligation valuation.
The exact model, colourway, backstamp and condition can make a significant difference, so clear photographs of the figure and its markings are particularly useful when requesting an initial valuation.
You can also explore our complete Beswick Pottery Collector’s Guide for more information on Beswick horses, animals, marks, rarity and values.
Rare Beswick Models & Collector’s Favourites from the Guy Heath Collection takes place at 11am on Thursday 24 September 2026 at our Silverdale Saleroom, with live online bidding available.