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| Pretty as a Picture History |
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Introduction
The Pretty as a Picture brand, which includes porcelain bisque figurines, collector plates, musicals, photo frames, ornaments, plaques and mugs, was produced and distributed by Enesco. This now retired collection is inspired and based upon the photography of European photographer Kim Anderson. Kim Anderson is known worldwide for his timeless and nostalgic photographs of young children in oversized adult clothing.
Kim Anderson
Kim Anderson is the alias of Bertram Bahner. Bahner began his photographic career photographing people and fashion while also working in advertising. Like many other proud fathers, Bahner focused on recording his young daughter Nicole. Letting his then three-year-old play dress up with her friends, Bahner captured images of simplicity and innocence with a universal appeal. This was the beginning of the Kim Anderson project.
The name Kim Anderson is now synonymous with children's photography, covering a large body of work that evokes the viewers own childhood memories of a simpler time of wonder and imagination. These photographs have become a family affair for Bahner, involving his wife Monika, who selects the props and stages the photo shoots, along with both his children, daughter Nicole and son Manuel, as two of his favorite models.
The unique signature of a Kim Anderson photograph is the hand-colored detail that Bahner adds to each black-and-white photo, such as a bouquet of bright yellow flowers, a solitary red rose or the fur of a much loved teddy bear. This subtle splash of color seems to heighten the romanticism of each captured moment.
Kim Anderson's work can be found today in posters, greeting cards, calendars and other print media, via Verkerke Publishing of Holland. The Pretty as a Picture collection, although now retired, can still be found on the secondary market in the form of figurines, mugs, photo frames and many other forms.
Although Bahner prominently features his family in some of his most famous works, he enjoys his privacy outside of his professional capacity and currently resides with his family in Europe.
Figurines
The Pretty as a Picture collection of figurines, ornaments and other collectibles began being produced in 1996. Alaska Momma Inc, an art licensing agency based out of New York, had been appointed by Bahner's company (NBM Bahner Studios AG) to market the Kim Anderson brand in the US. Alaska Momma turned to world renowned figurine and giftware manufacturer Enesco to produce the figurines based on the Kim Anderson photographs.
Enesco artists created their 3-dimensional interpretations of the artwork and began producing the figurines through their manufacturing relationships in Indonesia and China. The figurines are created using the same type of porcelain bisque as their enormously successful Precious Moments figurines.
2003 was the final year of production for all Pretty as a Picture collectibles from Enesco, although many had been intentionally retired before then. Licensing rights to the Kim Anderson brand within the North American market had been transferred to a European company and the license with Enesco was not renewed. The current North American licensing rights to the Kim Anderson brand reside with Big Tent Entertainment Inc, who also now own and manage Alaska Momma.
Beginning in 1997, Pretty as a Picture figurines were marked on the underside of their base with an annual production mark to indicate the year of production.
(c)2009 Woolvey LLC |
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