Boyds Dollstone FigurinesBoyds Dollstone is a line of finely crafted collectible resin figurines, most of them children accompanied by their special bear friends. Sometimes the friend is a bunny or a duck; sometimes it’s a doll. The duos can stretch to trios or foursomes—of people or bears or both! The scene is always charming and endearing, reminiscent of childhood, family and home. The collection also includes a multitude of angels, a blessing in any home.The Boyd Dollstones belong to a long line of artistic products and collectibles by the Boyds Collection Ltd. a company that began as an antique shop in Boyds, Maryland. Established in 1979, the company went through many changes and eventually turned to producing the famous Boyds Bears and decorative figurines, many of which share the bear theme—Boyds Dollstone is just one of their highly popular collectible lines.
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Now located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Boyds Collection Ltd. introduced Boyds Dollstone in 1996. It was the same year that the collectors club, the Loyal Order of Friends of Boyds (or Loyal F.o.B.s) was formed. The club is going strong – new members receive a collectors’ club kit and can opt to receive a newsletter for an extra fee. Like many collectors’ clubs, the Loyal F.o.B.s club has special offers for members, enabling them to purchase special bears, Boyd Dollstones, and other pieces. The Boyds Collection Ltd. fashion their figurines from cold cast resin, a popular medium for making durable and detailed decorations. The miniature figurines are amazingly realistic—even facial expressions and clothing details are perfect. “Michael and Thayer Waitin for Grandpa,” for instance, is a 4.5 inch figurine of a young boy in an oversize sweater and rolled up jeans sitting with his fishing rod. His bear sits to his right, attired for fishing, and a frog on the left sits ready to jump should Grandpa suddenly appear. “Michael and Thayer Waitin for Grandpa” retails for about $32US, a mid-range price for a Boyds Dollstone. You don’t have to become a Loyal F.o.B. to acquire your own delightful collection of Boyd Dollstones. Numerous giftware stores and internet retailers carry the line and many internet sites provide good quality electronic pictures of the pieces so that you can easily choose the ones you like best. As well, people sell or trade their Boyds Dollstone pieces on eBay and other sites, making it possible to really have some fun as a collector. Shop for Boyds Dollstone figurines, votive candle holders, or picture frames, or for a piece designed to fit a special need—a “first day of school” memento or a memory of a special birthday. Christmas, wedding, and special interest themes are all available. Smaller pieces retail for as little as $10 new, while most are in the $20 to $60 range. Splurge with $100 and you can choose from larger pieces, or something hard to find on the secondary market.
If there are special pieces from the Boyd Dollstones collection that you’re dreaming of, don’t dream too long—like Michael and Thayer, if someone like Grandpa comes looking for them, they’ll be gone.
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