Apr 20, 2010

WILLIAMSBURG and Enesco Launch New Licensing Relationship

WILLIAMSBURG will embark upon a new licensing relationship with Enesco, a global leader in gifts and home/garden décor. Products will debut this summer at the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, June 23-29 and the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, July 14-21. Enesco will produce co-branded WILLIAMSBURG products with Department 56 and Jim Shore, offering collections showcasing the distinctive buildings and collections of Colonial Williamsburg.

The new WILLIAMSBURG collection by Department 56 will introduce finely detailed lighted buildings and coordinating figures. The first three in a continuing series include: the iconic Bruton Parish Church, the Taliaferro-Cole House, and Taliaferro-Cole Shop, all replicas of original 18th-century buildings in Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area.

Celebrated American folk artist Jim Shore will launch several products suitable for holiday and everyday décor. Items include: an angel, Santa, Noah’s Ark, and an 18th-century milliner shown working on her stitches. The milliner is the first in a series of characters depicting period trades still found today throughout the Historic Area.

“We are thrilled to begin working with Enesco, a company that shares our commitment to quality and creativity” said Jim Easton, vice president of products for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. “We think Department 56 and Jim Shore are excellent additions to our family of partners, and we know customers are going to love these new pieces.”

“Colonial Williamsburg is one of the most recognized brands among American history enthusiasts, and Enesco is delighted to create new, innovative collections that are true to this heritage,” said Sujata Luther, executive vice president of Enesco. “We are also proud to support the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and its mission through this collaboration.”

Adds Jim Shore, “I have always been inspired by the rich artistic and cultural traditions of Colonial Williamsburg. It’s an incredible resource for a folk artist, a living piece of our shared history. It’s a great honor for me to be associated with this unique American institution.”

About Enesco
Enesco, LLC, is a global leader in the giftware and home and garden décor industries. Serving more than 44,000 customers worldwide, Enesco distributes products to a wide variety of specialty card and gift retailers, home décor boutiques, mass-market chains and direct mail retailers. With subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Hong Kong and China, Enesco serves markets operating in Europe, the Americas, Australia and Asia. The company’s product lines include some of the world’s most recognized brands including Heartwood Creek® by Jim Shore, Foundations®, Our Name is Mud®, Gund®, Boyds®, Department 56®,, Country Artists®, Walt Disney Classics Collection®, Disney Traditions™, Border Fine Arts™, Cherished Teddies®, The Trail of Painted Ponies®, and Lilliput Lane®, among others. For more information, visit www.enesco.com.

About WILLIAMSBURG
The WILLIAMSBURG® brand offers fresh, spirited designs in all categories of home and gift. With products inspired by the 18th century and designed for today’s lifestyle, WILLIAMSBURG is the preeminent leader of American style. The Colonial Williamsburg Products Program includes 40 licensees producing more than 7,000 products under the WILLIAMSBURG and WILLIAMSBURG Reserve brands. It operates 20 retail stores and website, www.WilliamsburgMarketplace.com. Sales of WILLIAMSBURG products support the preservation, research and educational programs of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the not-for-profit organization that oversees the restored colonial capital in Williamsburg, Virginia.