About Us
ABOUT US
This extensive collection of Department 56 items was started many years ago when a close relative began collecting them, either new from various stores or from other sources such as online marketplaces. Recently, he had to downsize and as such had to begin the process of clearing out many things including this collection, which includes many retired and vintage items, most in excellent condition as they were meticulously taken care of throughout the years. In fact, many have never been displayed and others never even opened at all.
As you look through the products, keep in mind that they are pre-owned. Almost all of the boxes do show various signs of wear from being in storage. Pictures have been taken of each item to reflect the condition of each piece as accurately as possible. The items pictured are the items you will receive, and all sales are final. Please see our policy on returns before your purchase.
ABOUT DEPARTMENT 56
Department 56 is a U.S. manufacturer of holiday collectibles, ornaments and giftware, known for its lit Christmas village collections and Snowbabies collection. It is owned by Enesco and based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Department 56 was founded in 1976. Originally, it was part of Bachman's, a retail florist based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Bachman's employed a numbering system to identify each of its departments. The number assigned to the wholesale gift imports division was 56.
Founder Ed Bazinet convinced the Bachman family to invest $50,000 in starting the division, and was appointed its first president when Department 56 was spun off as a $15 million subsidiary in 1984. Bazinet sold Department 56 in 1992 for $270 million, and remained in company leadership positions until his retirement in 1997.
Villages
The brand began with the "Original Snow Village" collection of six houses in 1976. Each Department 56 item has its name on the bottom. Buildings are also dated, with the year of copyright rather than year of issue. The first Original Snow Village pieces were the Mountain Lodge, Gabled Cottage, the Inn, Country Church, Steepled Church, and Small Chalet, and are made of ceramic. The collection consists of over 225 pieces, including accessories.
The "Heritage Village" Collection consists of several different villages and some sub‑collections within each village. The first was the porcelain Dickens Village in 1984 with houses depicting the time of Charles Dickens and relating to the stories that he wrote.
The "New England Village" started in 1986 and depicts the buildings and people of the New England area with its many churches, such as the Old North Church in Boston, lighthouses and farm areas.
The "Alpine Village" also started in 1986 and remains one of the smaller collections. It consists of buildings such as Josef Engel Farmhouse, Besson Bierkeller, Grist Mill and the St. Nickolaus Kirche church.
The "Christmas in the City" collection, set in the 1930s and 1940s, started in 1987 and consists of such pieces as the Palace Theatre, Toy Shop & Pet Store, Ritz Hotel, Dorothy's Dress Shop, Wong's, and a rare limited edition – Cathedral Church of St. Mark.
The "North Pole Series" was started in 1990 with the introduction of three houses, Santa's Workshop, Elf Bunkhouse, and Reindeer Barn. The collection celebrated its 15th Anniversary in 2005 with the release of five special edition buildings which, when put together, spell "SANTA".
The "Little Town of Bethlehem" was issued in 1987 as a set of twelve pieces.
In May 2016, Department 56 introduced two entirely new villages "First Frost" and "Holiday In The Woods".