There’s plenty of new lighted porcelain houses for Department 56 collectors in 2001

By Harold Merton

Department 56 Inc. has announced their new village introductions for year 2001. There’s a lot!

This year is also their 25th anniversary and to mark the occasion a special series of numbered, limited edition pieces will be introduced.

This special 25th Anniversary Collection includes the following: Original Snow Village - Candlerock Lighthouse Restaurant (limited edition of 30,000) which features a realistic lighthouse effect and attached sand bar in the shape of a boat; Dickens’ Village - Crowntree Freckleton Windmill (30,000), a thatched roof windmill with motorized sails made of cloth; New England Village - Mountain View Cabin (10,000), a rustic log and stone cabin; Alpine Village - Nussnacker Werkstatt (5,600) a nutcracker workshop; Christmas In The City - The Majestic Theatre (15,000) a beautiful theatre with twin front stairs; North Pole Collection - Toot’s Model Train Mfg. (25,000), includes an animated model train that moves around the rooftop of the building; Little Town of Bethlehem - Herod’s Temple (5,600) a set of five that includes two buildings with gold detailing, an accessory, gate and vinyl stone courtyard; and Seasons Bay - Garden Valley Vineyards (5,600) a beautiful country cottage.

With the limited edition quantities being so low it will no doubt be very difficult to secure these special pieces. If you want one, visit the dealer you normally purchase your 56 pieces from as soon as possible and indicate your interest.

New introductions in the various villages are as follows. Here’s what’s new in the Original Snow Village - Village Town Hall, Palm Lounge Supper Club, Frost & Sons Five and Dime, The Holiday House, Buck’s County Horse Barn, Buck’s County Farmhouse, Abner’s Improvement Co., Totem Town Souvenir Shop, Timberlake Outfitters, Creepy Creek Carriage House, Crosby House and Hauntsburg House.

New intros in Dickens’ Village include Abington Lockside Inn, Abington Lockkeeper’s Residence, Lilycot Garden Conservatory Gift Set (set of five), Hedgerow Garden Cottage, Burwickglen Golf Clubhouse, Glendun Cocoa Works, Rockingham School, Royal Stock Exchange, Royal Staffordshire Porcelains, and re-releases of two previously retired pieces, The Old Curiosity Shop and Scrooge & Marley Counting House.

New England Village collectors will be able to add Verna Mae’s Boutique Gift Set (set of 3), The Cranbery House, Wm. Walton Fine Clocks & Pocket Pieces, and Laurel Hill Church.

Alpine Village collectors have one new introduction other than the anniversary piece and that is a beer house - Alstadter Bierstube.

In Christmas In The City there’s a new 42nd Street Fire Company, Gardengate House, Foster Pharmacy and Mrs. Stover’s Bungalow Candies.

North Pole enthusiasts will see a new Acme Toy Factory (Looney Tunes set of five), Northern Lights Fire Station, Wedding Bells Chapel and Ginny’s Cookie Treats, a set with an accessory Gingerbread Corner. North Pole Woods has Santa’s Retreat (set of two), Rudolph’s Condo, and Reindeer Condo.

Little Town of Bethlehem has a Carpenter’s Shop Set and Rug Merchant Colonnade Set (a set of four).

The Literary Classics Collection has one new introduction - Sherlock Holmes 221 Baker Street. This piece comes with an accessory and a copy of the book.

Season’s Bay has two new pieces, Breezy Hill Stables and East Cape Cottages (a set of two).

A total listing of the new accessories as well as pictures of some of the new pieces are available at Department 56’s web site www.department56.com under the listing “new Products”.

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