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Department 56 is taking their celebration of the Dickens' VillageŽ Series 20th Anniversary on the road to their collectors! They will be kicking off their Celebration in Rosemont, IL at the Chicago 2004 Gathering.
Events being planned include:
- Attendance by Neilan Lund, master architect of the Dickens' Village, to sign your pieces
- A 20th Anniversary social event
- Seminars presented by Department 56 personnel
- A Department 56 commemorative display featuring the 20th Anniversary Special Edition Village products
- Special prizes
- A special edition of the Department 56's Celebrations magazine for convention attendees. (A wonderful keepsake that can be signed by the Neilan Lund!)
- A commemorative 20th Anniversary scarf that will be offered for sale only at the three gatherings this year. Proceeds will be given to the convention's designated charity. The scarf is like those worn in Victorian England, with the 20th Anniversary logo embroidered on it you can wear it to keep warm, or use it in a creative display of your Dickens' Village buildings and accessories!
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| Neilan Lund |
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| Master acrhitect for The Heritage Village Collection and founder of The Dickens' Series Village |
Neilan Lund
Neilan Lund is the master architect for The Heritage Village Collection. He designs the buildings for the Dickens' Village, New England Village, Alpine Village, and the North Pole Series.
Neilan has been in both commercial and fine art related fields all his life. Before his retirement as Advertising and Art Services Manager for General Mills, Inc. he did house drawings for local real estate companies. Over the years, travel in England stimulated his interest in Villages. When he met with Department 56 the early 1980s, the concept of a porcelain lighted Village was born smaller than The Original Snow Village and without the glaze.
Neilan has taken many photographs in his extensive travels. He keeps a file of house information and photographs and uses these as the basis for his designs. After his initial research, he keeps drawing and refining until the drawings are authentic representations of their Village and work as a complete blueprint for sculpting. Although a few pieces are designed after actual buildings, including Victoria Station, The Old Curiosty Shop, and the St. Martin-in-the Fields Church, most are completely original designs.
When he first began, Neilan kept the details fairly simple. But as production techniques were developed and improved, he has been able to become more creative and has added more elements, much like an actual architect would do. It's nice to know that the results of his work will be around for a long time. That's what Neilan likes best and what Heritage Village collectors like, too.
| 20th Anniversary Scarf |
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| Will be on sale at the Gathering |
20th Anniversary Commemorative Scarf
The Dickens 20th Anniversary Commemorative Scarf is 12" by 60". It is made of 100% black lambswool (by Woolmark). The Twentieth Anniversary logo is embroidered on one end of the scarf in a beige thread. It is dry clean only. The cost of the scarf will be $20.00 each with the profits going to support the charity chosen by the sponsoring convention. These limited edition scarves will only be sold at the three collector sponsored conventions. Preferred payment will be Master Card and VISA.
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