NAO Lladro’ Good Shepherdess 238 Artist Francisco Catala' Girl Carrying Lamb

Our beautiful figurine #238 Good Shepherdess was designed by artist Francisco Catala’ and expertly handcrafted by NAO Lladro’ sculptors in Valencia, Spain. The Good Shepherdess depicts a young girl carrying a lamb on her shoulders, holding the legs of a small lamb securely with both of her hands as she walks. The peaceful, serene look on the faces of both the Good Shepherdess vintage and the lamb reflect the girl’s loving, secure embrace.

Finely executed details accentuate the entirety of this wonderful figurine which measures 9-3/4” high, and 5-3/4” from the edge of her skirt to the tip of her toe. The kerchief on the girl's neck drapes in realistic folds which is tied in a knot around her neck. Soft blue polka dots embellish the Good Shepherdess' short sleeved white blouse. A light blue, form fitting vest hugs her slender torso, lacing up the front. Striding purposefully, the shoe on her left foot peeks from beneath her full, long beige skirt. The bottom left corner of her white apron curls with her movement. Decorated in muted tones of beige, blue, grey and white, this vintage NAO Lladro’ figurine was then finished in a lustrous, high glaze.

The Good Shepherdess # 238 figurine was retired in 1991 and is in excellent condition, with no flaws. As with our Good Shepherdess, Lladro’ figurines often sound as if there is a loose pebble of porcelain rattling around inside them. That is because there is! But don’t worry! This does not signify damage. The porcelain nuggets inside Lladro’ figurines are caused when a small hole is punctured in the bottom of the base prior to firing. This allows steam to escape during the firing process and prevents the figurine from exploding in the kiln. The displaced piece of porcelain gets punched into the hollow inside the figurine, where it hardens. In some Lladro' figurines - particularly older pieces - the steam escape hole was large enough for the nugget to fall out.

The bottom of our figurine bears the trademark NAO Lladro’ mark: NAO HANDMADE IN SPAIN by LLADRO’ DAISA 1977. NAO borrowed its name from the old sailing boats from the time of Columbus. These boats symbolize a return journey to origins, conveying creativity, skill and magic. To thwart the piracy of their mark, Lladro trademarked their name and began to copyright individual figurine designs in the mid-1970’s. Lladro’s copyright notice, DAISA, is the acronym for the umbrella company which holds Lladro’s intellectual property and design rights. DAISA stands for Disenos Artisticos e Industriales, SA.

In 1953, the gifted Lladro brothers - Juan, Jose and Vicente - incorporated their business which had begun with a single kiln in their backyard in 1951. The Lladro' brothers were selling in a storefront in Valencia, Spain by 1955, and laying the foundation for their first factory in 1958. In 1967 the Lladró brothers purchased a small porcelain factory very close to the city of Valencia, Spain and began collaborating with the best local porcelain artisans. The rapid spread of their popularity led the Lladró brothers to search for a different business name which would allow themselves to work towards an introduction into the international marketplace. Thus NAO was born.

Shipping for this lovely NAO Good Shepherdess figurine designed by the artist Francisco Catala' is $25.00 to the 48 contiguous United States. Please contact us for a shipping quote outside of the lower 48 United States @ myantiquarians@gmail.com