It all started when I declared early November that I was pulling
all things Christmas from the attic and going through each and everything with the goal to decrease my
Christmas crap by 75%.
I have 20+ years of Christmas collecting, 7 moves including a 3 year storage unit, and the uncanny ability to block a mess out of my mind
if it is in the attic.
It is the perfect storm for a special holiday edition of
Hoarders.
Yep. That is it.
*shudder*
It took weeks to go through everything with help. I was excited to put up the tree and a few accessories and return less than 25% of the boxes to a very roomy attic.
In the process of the sorting, I came across our
Liberty Falls Village.
Well, due to rapid growth it might be re-classified as
Liberty Falls City.
Blog-Stedman
and I started collecting
Liberty Falls cottages right after we were married. They were featured at large department stores one a week for 5-6 weeks leading up to Christmas. They were $5 a piece and
we he made sure that we didn’t miss a week…
in years.
I know you are looking at that and saying to yourself,
Holly, that is pretty impressive, but those are only the early years of Liberty Falls Collectibles! But what about:
- the 57 single boxed cottages
- the 22 double & exciting triple boxed cottages often with bonus pewter people!
- 22 boxes of pewter people and animals
- 2 books
- 2 village scene mats
Oh! ya, I have those too…
It is a massive
Liberty Falls collection that has been taking up storage space for over 15 years.
I haven’t put them out at Christmas since 1995.
It is just too overwhelming.
I approached blog-Stedman with the idea of finding a new home for the collection. He was surprisingly receptive and went off to do a little research. He came back a few minutes later and said that he had found websites where the houses were listed for $15 – 30 each!
Holy crap. Our kids are going to a fancy college!
It would be much easier for us if we could find a buyer for all of them at the same time so blog-Stedman went back to the computer to see if people were selling Liberty Falls lots on eBay.
He came back a few minutes later and said that what people
were BUYING them.
They
were buying them at $1 – $3 a house.
What! We PAID $5 a house close to 20 years ago! Don’t these people see the value in our collection?
But then he went on to say that he had come across a rare season that we had missed…
and it was priced very reasonably.
I recently inherited a small Liberty Falls collection, how can I unload this onto someone that wants and appreciates it ??
If anyone has the two “Lighted Liberty Falls, LH05 & LH06, Mrs. Applegates Boarding House & 1st Prarie Church in the large houses that are lighted, let me know. THANKS!
I love Liberty Falls. Just decided to box up all of them (they were displayed all over the house) and find out which ones I am missing since I sold some when we needed the money. Grandchildren nicked a few more of them (they are meant to be admired and loved) and mice ate 4 boxes in the attic so have to replace those as well. I am surprised that the value of these houses has deteriorated so much. They are well painted and the story behind the town is very nice – if sometimes contradictory. I do have the newsletters. I’m sure there still are listings of the buildings on the internet.
I was adamant about collecting this set for a few years- then ‘life’ happened and it got pushed back —- this must have been about 1997– it had been in the attic for years and my ex brought them to me a few years ago. This year my 10 yr old got them out and put them around the Christmas Tree— She fell in love with it— now I have to find the story for her. Any hints where I might find copies of the old newsletters? How about a listing of the buildings?
Hi! I realize this post is a year old; I just googled Liberty Falls and this came up. I too have the whole (well, didn’t realize there were mats and books, so I guess I don’t have it all) collection taking up space in my basement! I bought them as something for me and my older son to do together while I was pregnant with my younger one, and it just kind of mushroomed from there. Glad to hear I’m not the only one.
Oops! The post is TWO years old!
I have a large collection of Liberty Falls houses and the some of the big pieces like the hot air balloon. I am interested in selling them. Please let me know if you are interested.
did you get them all sold? dying to find out. if not, please contact me!!!!! i’m sooooo very interested – seriously.
Hi Noryie,
I have 45 Liberty Fall houses and 14 accessory kits. I will sell all of if for $150. Let me know if your interested.
Thanks,
Joanne
I have 200 houses plus trees and figures
Great story …
I read the business history of the company maker and the reason they are “worth – less” is that the last few years they were selling upwards of 1.4 million pieces a year. Fads come and go – think of them as heavy cabbage patch dolls .. But heck I am buying them since they are much cheaper than plastic models for my train set layout. …. They are pretty however ……..
my suggestion — put em on ebay and get $ 100 -200 bucks and go to dinner …
julius