Lilliput Lane Cottages has long been considered one of our favorite collectibles, along with Willow Tree, Border Fine Arts, and Lladro figurines. Lilliput Lane was founded in the early 1980s as a competitor to David Winter Cottages. David Winter had been around for a year or two and had the market pretty much to themselves. The miniature cabin phenomenon was in its infancy, but it was booming. The difficulty we had was that the company was run in an eccentric way. The cabins were modeled by David Winter, but he was by no means a businessman.

The business side was run by a guy named John Hine, a great self-publisher, who enjoyed defying convention. He didn’t believe in showing off at trade shows. He also didn’t like hiring agents, so getting information on new releases and discontinuations wasn’t easy at the best of times. Another quirk was that the delivery man would drop the cardboard boxes on our doorstep and then demand a check, which is not the best way to build customer relationships. Also, and most worryingly, the quality of David Winter Cottages was not good enough. They were plaster-based and tended to chip easily.

So the market was crying out for a competitor. And like a knight in shining armor, came Lilliput Lane Cottages. What a refreshing change. The concept was developed by David Tate. He saw the potential for collectability in miniature cabins designed in the vernacular style. He was also, as he never tired of telling me, multifaceted. Not only did he develop the skill of modeling cottages, but he was also an engineer and was able to develop the best manufacturing technique that would, on the one hand, preserve the amazing attention to detail that Lilliput Lane Cottages are known for, but also make using them more powerfully. . He increased the polyresin content of the cabins and, as a result, devised a much more successful formula.

David Tate also appreciated the importance of regular showings and retreats, the idea that you have to keep collectors on their toes. From day one, Lilliput Lane has always been managed in the most professional manner. We receive regular visits from our representative, the product was always well presented and properly packaged. Trade shows were attended and Lilliput Lane used to have a reputation for having one of the most innovative and attractive stands.

Over the years, Lilliput Lane grew in popularity and it didn’t take long for the range to overtake David Winter Cottages as the number one collectible cottage. As time went by, David Winter became more desperate and it seemed that shortcuts were being taken. In some cases, unfortunately, it seemed as if the collector was not being treated seriously. In one infamous case, a range of castles was introduced in a fairly high edition number. Simultaneously, the same models but on a resin base were produced, but in a much lower edition number and at a much higher price. It was decisions like these that really put the final nail in David Winter’s coffin. Owners came and went, but try as they might, the decline continued unabated until the only real demand was in the US, and that too was negligible. In the end, and ironically, the brand was taken over by Enesco, the distributors of the Lilliput Lane cabins. They were able to focus on the small and dwindling group of collectors, while concentrating their main efforts on their own excellent brand.