In 2009, Department 56 celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the Dickens' Village, a Village which began in 1984 as a series of drawings presented to Department 56
by artist Neilan Lund, an established graphic artist from Minnesota. His idea was to publish note cards and paper products with images inspired by the words of
Charles Dickens from his immortal classic, "A Christmas Carol." With the growing success of the ceramic Original Snow Village Series of lighted houses and
accessories, these drawings inspired another style of lit Village made of porcelain.
This was the birth of the "Shops of Dickens' Village" which later became the Dickens' Village Series, seven small and simple
designs representing the core elements of an English town in the 19th Century - the butcher, the baker, the candle shop,
blacksmith, inn, green grocer, and the brush and basket shop. In 2010, the final two pieces have been remade as special
25th Anniversary pieces: the Candle Shop and the Green Grocer join Bean and Son Smithy, the Brush and Basket Shop, the
Crowntree Inn, the Golden Swan Baker, and the Abel Beesley Butcher, completing the 25th Anniversary remakes of the original
Dickens' Village pieces. The Neilan Lund Gallery 25th Anniversary piece pays tribute to Neilan Lund, the original artist
whose drawings inspired the Dickens' Village. Other Dickens' novels inspired churches, pubs, and businesses which grew
Dickens' Village into one of the most popular and best loved collectible series we know.
We are often drawn to objects reminiscent of a bygone era. During Dickens' lifetime, England was a cultural center for the world, and a place where many of our
current holiday traditions were formed. Let the finely-detailed, hand-painted porcelain lighted buildings and accessories of this series inspire your feelings
of Christmases past and Christmases yet to come.
