Precious Moments Figurines and Dolls

Sam Butcher along with a friend started a company with his line of inspirational greeting cards and posters. The company was called Jonathan and David and featured the artwork that Sam Butcher is famous for now …. his tear-drop eyed Precious Moments kids. This was in the
early 1970s.

Shortly after, Sam was approached by Enesco Corporation to develop figurines based on his artwork.
By the end of 1978 the first twenty-one original Precious Moments figurines were unveiled and introduced for the gift industry. Sam always kept touch with his original beliefs of creating art to combine his emotions with his abiding faith – a message of loving, caring and sharing.

I have the above two early figurines available in my Etsy store along with the beautiful Precious Moments 13 inch doll … the Voice of Spring.

In 1989 the Precious Moments Park in Cathage Missouri opened and has had approximately 400,000 visitors each year for many years. In 2007 with limited funds it has had to par back the massive acreage and gardens, but the Museum, Chapel, Gift Shop and Visitors Center has remained open. In the chapel are dozens of murals hand paintedby Sam himself and the gift shop is the world’s largest Precious Moments store. The Visitors Centre they say is like
walking into a small English Country Village. I’d like to go there some day, I’m sure it’s overwhelming to see so many beautiful and tranquil artwork and figurines in one place.

The Little Red Riding Hood Cookie Jars - Hull Pottery and Regal

These cookie jars started out from the design by Louise Bauer of Zanesville Ohio (patent was issued in 1943) Many of these jars were produced by Hull Pottery as blanks and then sent to the Regal China and Novelty Company in Chicago to be decorated. However it is possible that Regal China created some of these jars themselves from scratch. Some collectors have made the assumption that the cookie jars made by Hull Pottery as blanks were glazed inside the lid. Where as the jars made by Regal china were unglazed inside the lid.

Then there is the different decorations on the skirt. This one has a poppy and daisy flower design and Little Red Riding Hood is carrying a closed basket. It is found with the one larger centre flower bouquet, or with either two or as this one is with the three seperate floral bouquets. The salt and pepper shakers have a yellow and red floral decal. They were from different estates.

Regardless of whether Hull or Regal china made these they are definitely beautiful and old from the 50s or earlier era. The cookie jar does not have the glaze inside the lid so I am assuming that a collector will say it was probably produced by Regal China. They can be found in my shop, the title is clickable and links to the items.