Tuesday, 17 December 2013

Dept 56 Snowbabies Are Popular With Many Collectors

By Cornelia White


The popular Dept 56 Snowbabies are just one of many series of collectibles produced by the company. These adorable babies are all dressed up and ready for some fun in the snow. Although light up villages were the first collectible produced by Dept 56, their fast-rising popularity allowed the company to expand. Snowbabies were just one of several new lines the company introduced. Although some collectibles are only popular with certain collectors, the babies seem to be quite popular with all ages and with collectors of all kinds.

Dept 56 was formed in 1976, when it released its first line of collectibles. There were six ceramic buildings in the first series, and although they were sold individually, they were meant to be combined into a beautiful light up village. These houses grew in popularity, which allowed the company to expand into other offerings.

In 1986, the first Snowbabies were introduced. They were crafted from porcelain bisque, and their cherub-like faces had delicate hand-painted features. Each of the babies were bundled up in snowsuits, scarves and mittens and were set to play outside. They were typically posed to recreated playful scenarios of having fun in the snow.

It was their charm and the sense of wonder they evoked which made them so popular with such a wide audience. The babies are still the main characters of the collection, but new supporting characters have been added and so have additional themes. There are babies posed with cute little animals, a more colorful Christmas series, a variety of hobbies and unique interests, and many others.

There are some collectors who will only purchase items that fall within a particular category. However, the appeal of Snowbabies seems to span a much broader range of collectors. They have become quite popular with collectors of porcelain figures depicting babies and children, Christmas collectors and many others. This broad appeal makes them a very popular gift whether the recipient is already an avid collector or not.

One of the reasons for their continued and growing popularity is that new pieces of the collection are released each year. However, this also means that some pieces are produced in limited quantities and some may eventually be retired from the collection. This year, the company has introduced several new pieces in both the Classic Collection and The Guest Collection.

Snowbabies are typically in high demand, making it more difficult if you are looking for a particular hard-to-find piece or one that has been retired. However, finding a local retail store that stocks at least part of the collection should be fairly easy. Many of today's popular gift stores sell them throughout the year. When trying to locate a specific piece, it may be beneficial to make a few calls to check the store's inventory before you visit. Many online retailers also sell Snowbabies, including the Dept 56 online store.

Dept 56 Snowbabies have hand-painted porcelain bisque faces that capture that youthfulness and sense of wonder which make them so popular with collectors of all sorts and ages. They are readily available for purchase in today's well-known gift stores, making it convenient to grab a piece or two to add to your own collection or maybe give as a gift to a devoted fan or even someone who has never seen one before.




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