2nd Generation display stand by Don from 1997, numbered and signed.

Water Pitcher 1st generation

Miniature Santa

Water Pitcher 2nd Generation

The purpose of this website is to provide a pictorial guide on the identification of Twin Winton Figurines and Pottery.


My name is Jerry Whetstine and I live in Lake Chelan, WA. My wife Kathy and I have been collecting Twin Winton for the past 20 plus years. Our collection consists of over 600 figurines. We personally knew Don Winton and bought many Twin Winton pieces from his personal collection. He sold us these rare pieces and gave us his blessing to help preserve his legacy. It is the main reason why this website was created and the other reason is the absolute love we have for his figurines. The collection also includes the largest known collection of the "Children Album Figurines". Many were bought directly from Don's personal collection and are very rare.  Many pictures featured in the "Don Winton Designs Book'' by Michael Ellis are from our personal collection. Please check out the book for a insightful history of Don Winton and the Twin Winton Co.

This web site is going to help identify Twin Winton Figurines that are unmarked. Many pieces of Twin Winton were not marked from the factory and many pieces were copied by other California pottery companies and are very hard to distinguish from Twin Winton.

I would like to network with other Twin Winton Collectors and share information, pictures, and stories.  All you Twin Winton collectors out there, please contact me and let me know who you are. If anybody has a figurine that they suspect is a unmarked Twin Winton figurine or wants information on any figurine, please feel free to contact me.  If anybody has Twin Winton figurines that are not pictured here, please send pictures to me and I will post them on the website with your permission.

The website will continually be updated as new pictures and information is received.







Very first woman Hillbilly mug.

Twinton Minatures 2 3/4" tall.

Deer

Courtesy of Scott & Vicky Wolff

Norma Winton

Bank

Rabbit and Hare courtesy Rick Willis

 Honey Jar

Yogie Bear

Miniature

T-14

2nd Generation Pretzel Bowl

Elf on Mushroom Courtesy Rick Willis

Miniatures

One of a kind set Hillbilly mugs.

 Monk Figurine 12 inches

Sculpture of St. Simeon holding Baby Jesus courtesy of C.S.

Candy Dish

Holding the very same Racoon's that Don Winton is holding.

Children's Album Figurines by Twin Winton Circa 1950


Don Winton and his TWIN WINTON FIGURINES

Lamp

Huckleberry Hound

Pretzel Dish

Dip Bowl

Ash Tray

Fox courtesy Rick Willis

Michael Ellis    Don Winton


   

This is the byline from a 1950 L.A.Times describing the Childrens' Album Figurines

Courtesy of David Beavert

Coffee Cup

T-18

Santa plate 1950

Assorted Cats

Black & white cats pre war colored cats post war

Jerry Whetstine

Rabbit with a Cart

Courtesy of David Beavert

Very rare yellow cat courtesy of Kenneth Coleman

Woman Pilot

Angel and Choir Boy and Girl

613

TWINTON FIGURINES BY TWIN WINTON CIRCA 1972

Cigarette and Match Holder

Snagglepuss

Baba Loo

T-15

Black Sambo marked "Design Don Winton (C) USA 1999 limited addition"

Chicken-Rooster Sugar Creamer

No number, personally signed by Don Winton

Miniature

German Shepard

These Old English Sheepdogs were designed by Don Winton.

Water Pitcure 3rd generation

Boy Angel courtesy of David Beavert

Rabbit & broken egg

T-13

Yogie Bear

Jerry Whetstine

Lake Chelan, WA

jerrykathyinchelan@yahoo.com

Shawn and Denise James

      Wichita, Kansas

     dlconey@cox.net

Spice Shakers. Are there any different ones out there?

Bank

Childrens' Album Sad Drummer Boy

Ice Bucket

John Reed

Pre World War Cats are black and white

Twin Winton Miniature Animals

T-1

Super Snooper

Coffee Cups

Liquor Bottle Pouring Spouts

Burke Winton Deer

Inscription inside the one of a kind mug set

Courtesy of David Beavert

Unfinished Fox and Mouse

Cat

Don's signature on the first woman Hillbilly mug.

Miniature Deer & Sleigh

T-16

Salt and Pepper Shakers

Garlic Jar

Dresser Caddy

Decanter

T-5.

It was an honor to  know Don Winton before he passed. He was a incredible human being and I truly love what he gave to us through his pottery. His figurines mean everything in the world to us and we will continue to improve and expand this website as a tribute to his legacy.

GOD BLESS YOU DON AND NORMA WINTON

Napkin Holder

Hillbilly Lamp

Assorted Steins

Quick Draw McGraw

Twin Winton and Burke Winton Deer

Ash Tray

Ash Tray

Courtesy of David Beavert

615

A PICTORIAL COLLECTORS GUIDE TO

Mustache Cup

Miniature

T-9

Additional Twin Winton Figurines and Pottery

Unfinished prototype Fox and Mouse

Courtesy of David Beavert

Mug 1st generation

612

T-12

Ice Bucket

There is a T-20 out there some where.

If anybody has it please send me a picture and we will post it here.

I would sure like to know what he or she looks like.

Ice Bucket

Courtesy of David Beavert

610

Super Snooper's partner was Blabber. Does anybody have him? Would love to post the picture here along with any others that are not pictured here.

The whimsical line of Childrens' Album Figurines were created in 1950 to look similar to the Hummel Figurines which were very popular. The Children Album figurines did not sell well and subsequently were only produced for about a year to a year and a half. Because so few figurines were produced, they are very rare and difficult to find. I bought many of the Childrens' Album figurines fron Don's personal collection and have been able to find 23 different ones so far. In the "Don Wintons Designs" book by Micael Ellis on page 80 their is a quote from the 1950 LA Times which states ''A real Childrens Album is this endearing series of carefully sculpted figures taken right from childhood". These are my favorite fiurines and if anybody has one that is not pictured on this website please contact me so we could post it here. The first figurine pictured below of a boy with a straw hat, carrying a fish, with his dog, is the logo for the Alberta Molds Company from the early 1950s that Twin Winton sold molds to for over 30 years.

Anybody have a Childrens' Album Figurine not pictured here? If you do I sure would love to add it to the website.

Assorted Cats.

Courtesy of David Beavert

Hillbilly Display Figurine

T-2

Salt and Pepper Shakers

Here are pictures of the Hanna Barbara figurines that I have. Don Winton designed these figurines for the Hanna Barbara Company who own these characters. These characters are all from the " The Huckleberry Hound show" 1958-1962 and "The Quick Draw McGraw Show 1959-1961". The figurines were marked with a paper label, " Ideas Inc. Des Moines Iowa" with a number.  I am missing Yogie Bear sitting on a stump, Snagglepuss, Hokey Wolf, and Boo Boo Bear. These characters are pictured in the ''Don Winton Designs Book'' by Michael Ellis on pages 91 and 92. I'm not sure how many characters were designed by Don and produced, so if anybody out there has any of these figurines that are not pictured here on the website, please let me know. I would love to have pictures and post them here.


Courtesy of David Beavert

Please be sure to click on page 2 for additional information and photographs and page 3 for Don's designs for the Hagen Renaker Company of Disney Characters and additional photographs.

T-3

Don Winton created and Twin Winton produced a line of Miniature Animal Figurines that are unmarked. They were sold by the H & L Sales Company of Los Angeles, California. Catalog sheets and pictures of the miniatures can be seen in "Don Winton Designs" book by Michael Ellis on pages 66 to 71. They are  approx. one to two inches in size. It does appear from the K & L order form there were a total of 64 miniatures produced.

In the photographs below, I have placed the miniatures along side other Twin Winton Figurines to give you an ideal just how small these figurines are. These figurines are very hard to find and very hard to distinguish from Hagen Renaker Miniature Figurines. The minature figurines I have pictured here are all from Don Winton's personnal collection and personally signed. As you can see I have only seven of them. If anybody has any of these figurines or suspects that you have a Twin Winton Miniature, please contact me. If it is a Twin Winton Miniature I would love to post it here on the website.

In 1971 Don designed the Twinton Figurine Line. Twinton Inc was formed and in 1972 Twinton Figurines production started. Approximately 2,000 of each of the 20 Twinton figurines were made and 200 to 300 Twinton display stands.. They did not sell well and consequently did not last very long on the market. Please check out the "Don Winton Designs" book by Michael Ellis for the history behind these lovable Twinton figurines. They are featured on page 131.

The three Twinton minature figurines pictured below with the Twinton Display Stand are from the Hagnen Renaker Pottery Company Archives and the personal collection of Hagen Renaker Pottery founder, John Renaker. They were Twinton Minature prototypes and were believed given to Hagen Renaker by Don Winton for Hagen Renaker to produce. Hagen Renaker Pottery never produced these 2 3/4 inch loveable minature Twinton figurines and they are the only ones known to exist.

Courtesy of David Beavert

Ash Tray

T-11

T-6

Inside inscription of the Childrens' Album Figurines hang tag that describes the intent of the figurines.

One of my visits to Don and Norma Winton's home.

Angel courtesy of David Beavert

614

Ronald Reagan Bronze Bust courtesty David Vaccaro

Minatures

Hillbilly Man and Woman

Hillbilly Woman

General MaCarthur

T-8

Stein

Bathing Bowl

Pixie and Dixie

Minature Twinton Figurines shown with regular Twinton Figurines.

Zeke ??? and  Ezra

Front and back of Childrens' Album hang tag that came with each figurine.

Twin Winton Hillbilly  Pottery

Hanna Barbera Figurines designed by Don Winton

Fishing Creel Planter

Courtesy of David Beavert

Candy Dish

Childrems' Album Baseball Boys. There is believed to be a umpire out there.

Original Hillbilly display stand 1947.

Hokey Wolf

Don Winton at the 1998 Cookie Jar Show in Nashville Tenn.

Miniature

Donkey Courtesy Rick Willis

Angel playing flute courtesy of David Beavert

611

T-4

Mug 2nd generation

If anybody has any Twin Winton figurines or pottery  that are not posted on this website, please send them to me and I will post them.

T-7

Large Hillbilly display figurine

T-20 ????

1st Generation Pretzel Bowl

Ash Tray

Large and small Creel courtesy of David Beavert

T-17

T-19

Mr Jinx

Courtesy of Rita Lasman

Jerry Whetstine

Wall pocket

Denise James holding original sketches drawn and signed by Don Winton.

In 1947 Don Winton designed and Twin Winton introduced the Hillbilly line. The Hillbilly fad lasted about three years until 1950. The hillbilly line was extremely popular and the factory could barely keep up production. The Hillbilly line was inspired by the Paul Webb cartoon series and featured hand painted pottery of the Ozark Mountain Men and Women, in different hand-painted colors, against a simulated wood grain finish, under glaze.

The Hillbilly series included lamps, pitchers, mug sets, pretzel bowls, ash trays, salt pepper shakers, cigarette boxes, wall pockets, candy dishes, bathing bowls, punch bowls and cups, pouring spouts, figurines, dresser caddys, ice buckets, napkin holders, banks, decanters, tankards and many more pieces. You can read more in depth on the Hillbilly pottery line in the "Don Winton Designs Book" by Michael Ellis starting on page 108.

The largest known Twin Winton Hillbilly collection is located in Wichita, Kansas and is owned by Shawn and Denise James. They have graciously provided a small sampling of pictures from their vast collection and at a later date will provide pictures of their entire Twin Winton Hillbilly  collection. They are a wide collector of pottery and their vast collections includes cookie jars, Red Riding Hood pottery, Shawnee and of course The Twin Winton Hillbilly series. They really enjoy the humorous nature of the Hillbilly series and enjoy networking with other pottery collectors. If you have any questions about their collection they would love to hear from you.








Ice Bucket

Fishing Creel courtesy of David Beavert

Rare marked Skunks. Courtesy Shawn James

Burke Winton Deer

Salt and Pepper Shakers

Courtesy of David Beavert

Mug 3rd generation

Squirrel on a log

Miniature

T-10

Salt and Pepper Shakers

Salt and Pepper Shakers

Courtesy of Cindy Jacobs. Gift from late Father In Law

Assorted Figurines