A few examples of Don Winton's Disney figurines that he designed for the Hagen Renaker Company
The Hagen-Renaker pottery company was established in 1945 in the garage of John and Maxine Renaker making plates, butter pats and bowls. One day Maxine made a little duck to show a Brownie troop touring the factory how pottery was made. The duck fired in the kiln between the larger items was a immediate success.
John realized the potential for animal figurines, and began making them exclusively. With the help of Maxine's father Ole Hagen, the couple built their first, small factory in Monrovia, California. The hyphenated name of the company was a way to thank and pay tribute to Ole Hagen. The company to this day, is still in the business of designing and producing beautiful animal figurines and are very collectible.
Don Winton designed many of the Hagen-Renaker Disney pieces. The pictures below are a example of some the Disney figurines that Don designed for the Hagen-Renaker Company. Don has created and designed over 15,000 items in his lifetime.
Please visit the Hagen Renaker On-Line Museum for additional information and pictures of their beautiful pottery at www.hagenrenakermusuem.com
or visit the official Hagen Renaker web site at www.hagenrenaker.com
Walt Disney "The Crystal Collection"
Disney commissioned Don Winton to create and sculpt eight Disney characters in crystal in a limited edition of 1800. They are 4 1/2 inches of molded crystal figures and are produced when molten silica fused with lead is injected into special molds, precisely fashioned from the sculptor's original designs. The artistry of Don Winton and the centuries old art of crystal making by German craftsman are uniquely joined with specular results. The eight Disney figurines are: Dopey, Jiminy Cricket, Little Mermaid, Mickey Mouse, Sleeping Beauty Castle at Dsneyland, Sorcerer's Apprentice, Tinker Bell, and Winnie the Pooh. They have been photographed with a red background to show detail.
