Wade Whimsies first appeared in 1953 and were a product of the need for new retail lines following a huge drop in demand for traditional industrial ceramics after the war.The result was a series of miniature porcelain animal models.
The figurines, boxed in sets of five, proved to be a far better success than even Wade could have imagined.

Between 1953 and 1959 Wade produced 10 sets of Whimsies for retail sale, with the last five sets each having a theme. During the 1960s Wade decided to enter the premiums market by providing new miniature animals to be included as 'one free' in each box of party crackers or tea bags. Due to the popularity, Wade introduced a new line of Whimsies for retail sale in 1971. This second set of Whimsies consisted of 60 animals in 12 sets and was marketed progressively over the next 13 years in groups of five. Over the years, Wade has produced several hundreds of the solid porcelain mini figurines in dozens of different sets. The many ranges include pets, wildlife, farm animals, and even Disney animals. All these figures are highly collectable and some are very valuable as they are becoming more scarce.