UK International Ceramics Ltd was established in 1978 to commission the production of licensed ceramic products from leading china manufacturers. Royal Doulton, John Beswick and Wedgwood produced several famous cartoon characters for exclusive distribution by UKI Ceramics Ltd including Felix the Cat, Enid Blyton's Noddy and Big Ears, The Wizard of Oz, Tom and Jerry and The Flintstones.

The Managing Director of the company is Nick Tzimas, who gave up his career as a College Lecturer more than 30 years ago in order to buy and sell discontinued Royal Doulton and other ceramic collectables. Initially he specialised in general English Collectables until Royal Doulton, Beswick and Wedgwood took prominence in the market place.

In 1983 he organised the first ever specialist Royal Doulton Fair at the Park Lane Hotel in London, England and his associate company, UK Fairs Ltd, continues to promote annual collectors fairs for Doulton, Beswick, Royal Albert, Royal Crown Derby and Wedgwood. His experience with the secondary market proved invaluable for his character merchandise business as he appreciates the interests and concerns of his collectors and is committed to producing high quality, limited edition products with prestige brand names at affordable prices.

In 1987 the company commissioned the first exclusive Limited Edition Royal Doulton Character Jug of the Yellow Falstaff D6795 and UKI Ceramics Ltd in 1989 produced the first ever Limited Edition series of Royal Doulton Character Jugs, the Great Generals Collection comprising so far of Duke of Wellington, General Gordon, General Eisenhower and General Patton. In 2008 another character jug will be added to this series. The General MacArthur Jug will be issued in an exclusive worldwide edition of 100.

In 1990 UKI Ceramics Ltd under contract with Royal Doulton commissioned the first limited edition Bunnykins figure Carol Singer Bunnykins DB104 and since then many of their exclusive designs have soared in value on the secondary market, notably Trick or Treat Bunnykins and Clown Bunnykins. To date, no less than 48 exclusive Bunnykins figures have been added to the range with more exciting and interesting new ideas and themes in the production schedule.

In 1991 the company published several Collectors books on the specialised subjects of Bunnykins, Beatrix Potter, Cartoon Characters and Beswick.

The first cartoon stars to be licensed by UKI Ceramics in 1993 were Hanna-Barbara's Tom and Jerry and Droopy and limited edition models were commissioned from the Royal Doulton Company. Since then, The Flintstones and Top Cat have been equally well received by collectors around the world. Recent releases with the Royal Doulton trademark include Felix the Cat, the Noddy and Big Ears series, Popeye and Olive Oyl plus Spike and Tyke the bulldogs.

In 1998 a new series of Nursery Rhyme Royal Doulton figures were introduced by UKI Ceramics Ltd and to date several characters have been produced, including Old King Cole (DNR5), The Cat and the Fiddle (DNR4), Humpty Dumpty (DNR1), Old Mother Hubbard (DNR3) and Little Miss Muffet (DNR2).