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Will It Last? |
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 Just
as things were settling down and with some
interesting pieces being released - including
the unusually tall The Assayers Tower,
the first piece in the "Crack the Code
Collection" and the solid looking Burg
Eltz - the bombshell well and truly hit
home when in the beginning of 2002 Ensco announced
that this was going to be their last year
producing David Winter Cottages.
Like
six years previously the World of Collecting
David Winter Cottages was turned upside-down
with more uncertainty over their future.
The only positive thing to come out of Enesco's
announcement was one paragraph that stated
"David may also explore other avenues
in the future as he is keen to maintain the
name of 'David Winter Cottages', and it is
possible that there may be some products developed
in the future, all be it on a much-reduced
scale".
Exactly
what the future was to hold for David was
revealed later in the year. And for the casual
collector - and especially for those in the
UK - it was not to be good news. David Winter
Cottages were going to be run from the USA
specifically for hard-core collectors. Basically
the cottages would no longer be seen on the
high street but exclusively sold to Guild members
and those in the know via the Internet. Lilliput
Lane had at last won the race.
I suppose looking on the bright side at least
David would be allowed to continue - all-be-it
at a much reduced pace - and that the cottages
would still be classed as "British Made"
as they were to be produced by Harmony Kingdom
in Gloucestershire.
For me, and this website, it is the end. However,
unlike many I won't be selling off my collection.
I intend to keep them and plan to continue
enjoy looking at them for years to come.
And
as for this website it
may not contain any of the "new"
USA cottages but it will remain as testament
of what for many will be classed as "The
Golden Age of David Winter Cottages". |
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