The Tale of Tom Kitten - Merchandise

Merchandise

Potter asserted her tales would one day be nursery classics, and part of the process in making them so was marketing strategy. She was the first to exploit the commercial possibilities of her characters and tales with spinoffs such as a Peter Rabbit doll, an unpublished Peter Rabbit board game, and Peter Rabbit nursery wallpaper between 1903 and 1905. Similar "side-shows" (as she termed the spinoffs) were produced with her approval over the following two decades.

After Potter's death in December 1943, Frederick Warne & Co. granted licenses to various firms for the production of merchandise based on the Potter characters. Beswick Pottery of Longton, Staffordshire was one of the first and a porcelain figurine of Tom Kitten was one of the first ten Beswick Potter figurines released in 1948. Tabitha Twitchit, Mr. Drake Puddle-Duck, Rebeccah Puddle-Duck, and Mittens and Moppet were released either as single figurines or in combination with other characters. A Tom Kitten mug, plaque, and tableau were issued. In sum, 12 Tom Kitten figurines were released by Beswick between 1948 and 2000.

Crummles of Poole, Dorset began producing small enamelled boxes beginning in 1975. Three boxes had lids depicting characters from Tom Kitten: Tabitha Twitchit scrubbing Moppet's face, the Puddle-Ducks diving for Tom's lost clothes, and an image of Tom Kitten holding his book taken from the book's endpapers. Tabitha Twitchit sewing Tom Kitten's button on was depicted on the lid of a Huntley & Palmer biscuit tin produced between 1974 and 1978.

Stuffed toy manufacturers had sought licensing rights for the Potter characters as early as 1906, but it was not until the 1970s that an English firm was granted worldwide rights. Their labour intensive products were unprofitable however, and in 1972, The Eden Toy Company of New York became the exclusive manufacturer of Potter characters. A plush Tom Kitten dressed in his finery was one of the first ten characters released in 1973. He was released as a bean bag in 1999.

Schmid & Co. of Toronto and Randolph, Massachusetts was granted rights to Beatrix Potter in 1977 and produced character-related merchandise over 18 years. In 1977, Tom Kitten was one of the first ten character music boxes released by the company. Another music box featuring Tom and playing "My Favorite Things" was issued in 1990, and a music box featuring Tabitha Twitchit and playing "Lara's Theme" was released the same year. In 1983, Tom Kitten was one of the first six flat ceramic Christmas ornaments issued by Schmid. Drake Puddle-duck, Rebeccah Puddle-duck, and Tom with the Butterfly were released in 1984. Scenes from the tales were produced as flat ornaments in 1987 featuring Tom and Moppet, and Drake Puddle-duck in Tom's clothes. In 1991, Schmid manufactured a 3-dimensional Tom Kitten ornament, and in 1992 a Tabitha Twitchit ornament. Another 3-dimensional Tom ornament was released in 1994 before the company closed in 1995.