The Precious Moments collection has the unique ability to offer inspiration, express love, celebrate friendship and communicate feelings. Precious Moments figurines deliver the message of loving, caring and sharing. Precious Moments figurines have become the country's most beloved collectibles and gifts for every occasion. Collectors have found joy in both giving and receiving these Precious Moments figurines.
In the beginning, artist Sam Butcher only intended for his drawings of teardrop-eyed children to encourage and comfort family and friends. He simply called them Precious Moments because they spread endearing messages of love, caring and sharing. Today, Sam's beautiful artwork has touched the hearts of millions around the world through the porcelain bisque collectibles by Enesco.
It was in 1978 that Enesco Corporation President Eugene Freedman first saw Sam's simple drawings on a small line of greeting cards. Mr. Freedman took the artwork to Japan to his friend and Master Sculptor Yasuhei Fujioka. With his creative genius, Fujioka-san transformed the illustrations into figurines.
In 1979, the first 21 porcelain bisque figurines were introduced, and the children with soulful expressions and inspirational titles soon became a phenomenon in the collectibles industry.
Each subject is truly a work of art. The drawings are sent to the Design Studio in Nagoya, Japan, where a team of highly skilled artisans translate the art into a finely sculptured clay model.
It requires five to seven days to produce a single figurine. Each artisan is extensively trained from the sculptor to the painter, who takes three years to master the famous teardrop eyes -- considered to be the most important and most difficult element of the figurine. It's this attention to detail and quality that has kept the Precious Moments collection so highly valued by collectors and so true to Sam's original artwork.
Each year, Sam Butcher and Enesco announce several pieces that have been retired, meaning they will never be produced again in the same form. The retired pieces, which make room in the collection for more introductions, become highly sought after by collectors.
Whether for birthdays, weddings, graduations, anniversaries, holidays, new babies or just because, this collection expresses any heartfelt sentiment without saying a word. Collectors have found joy in both giving and receiving these collectibles.
