Precious Moments Figurines

It all started a little more than thirty years ago, when creator Samuel J. Butcher

drew teardrop-eyed children he referred to as “Precious Moments” to give as gifts

to his loved ones …

The third of five children raised in a poor family, it was evident that young Samuel J. Butcher possessed a natural instinct for art. When his family was not able to afford drawing tools and supplies, he simply explored a nearby factory dump for rolls of paper to draw on. Recognizing her son had a special talent, Sam’s mother encouraged him to pursue his art after he graduated high school. He received his formal art training with a scholarship at the College of Arts and Crafts in California a few years later.

Things began to take off in the early 1970’s, when Sam and his friend Bill Biel created their own company, Jonathan & David. The small company sold Sam’s Precious Moments art on inspirational greeting cards and posters at Christian art fairs, most notably the annual Christian Booksellers Association Convention in Anaheim. The advent of Precious Moments met with a huge success, and retailers were soon scrambling for the teardrop-eyed creations. Sam was thereafter approached by Enesco Corporation to produce three-dimensional figurines based on his line titled “Love One Another”.

The very first Precious Moments figurines were unveiled in 1978, when the first 21 original figurines were introduced to the market. The current Precious Moments figurines collection now includes over 1500 pieces, with new additions continuing to be made every year. Today, Precious Moments collector’s clubs can be found worldwide, proving that the world can never have too many Precious Moments.

Precious Moments in the Making

The creation of a Precious Moments Figurine, from start to finish.

From beginning to end, the creation of a Precious Moments figurine uses meticulous details and the finest talent around. The figurine is first sketched out by the artist using traditional pencil and paper. Next, the artist creates a lifelike sculpture based on the initial drawing. The third step is to create the mold, which will allow the artist to produce more figurines at a faster rate. The mold is shaped around the original sculpture, taking extra care to capture all the minute details of the piece. Once the mold is ready, the porcelain mixture is then added into the mold and allowed to dry and set. After some time, the porcelain is ready to be taken out of the mold and the individual pieces of the figurine are put together. This process is referred to as the “composition”. The figurine is then hand-painted with the classic Precious Moments pastel colors. Finally, the figurine is given one last protective coat before it is ready to join the Precious Moments collection!

The Precious Moments Collection

Since their debut in the early 1970’s, Precious Moments figurines have been welcomed into people’s homes throughout the world. The collection currently includes over 1500 pieces, with new items being created every year.

While today’s collection includes a variety of items, the most popular items have always been the classic three-dimensional figurines and ornaments. Perhaps it is because these pieces gave way to the entire collection, that they remain the classic standards of the Precious Moments collection.

Today, many of the original Precious Moments figurines are now retired, making room for new figurines to join the collection. Along with the classic themes like love, friendship, family and faith, fans will find popular recreations from favorite pastime collections like Disney and John Deere. The series includes countless holiday lines as well, such as Christmas, birthdays, and weddings. No matter what the occasion, there is always a Precious Moments figurine for everyone.

The collection is not simply limited to figurines, however. Precious Moments fans will find other wonderful items to enjoy with their loved ones, including:

• Dolls and stuffed animals
• Books, music and DVD’s
• Apparel
• Jewelry
• Home & Garden

When he first began to draw his teardrop-eyed creations, Sam Butcher most likely never imagined they would become the worldwide phenomenon they are today. But it seems that Sam’s dreams of sharing art and faith have certainly come true, as people continue to enjoy the inspiration and beauty of his Precious Moments and learn what Sam always knew – that in every life, there is always a Precious Moment to be experienced, learned, and remembered.