Who We Are
I started out by painting small ceramic figurines at home for Walter Brockmann Studio in St. Louis, MO in 1990. Later I worked in the ceramic studio for about 8 years. I was an apprentice painter to the artist, JoAnn Taylor, the only apprentice to the late Walter Brockmann. We moved out of the last studio location in 2002. I produced the collection from home with help for a few years. Since 2005 each piece has been made completely by hand by me. Around 2015 I started hand-building miniature custom ceramic homes. My business is called The First, the Best Lighted House Collection.
The Slip Poured Ceramic Process
First you start with your mold, making sure it is banded up tight so there is no leaking. The mold is filled with liquid clay called “slip”. The slip stays in the mold for a timed period that depends on the mold size. Then it is dumped out and the mold is put upside down overnight. This leaves a shell of the piece, which becomes the main part of the piece. The mold is taken apart and the clay piece removed. The piece gets cleaned up and openings are cut in the clay and any attachments are added. The piece is cleaned and sits to dry completely. It is then “green ware”, and goes in for the first firing. After the first firing it becomes “bisque”. Now it is ready to paint, then glaze and snow. When ready, it gets fired again. Then you have your finished piece. Some pieces have additional add-ons, such as bells, swings, or signs, and sometimes a music box gets added.
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Reviews
5.0
(426)
Average item review
We calculate this number using a recency-weighted average of all ratings, with a rating's value decreasing by half each year to best reflect the current experience.
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Sandra on Apr 21, 2026
5 out of 5 starsAdorable! Even better than imagined. Perfectly packaged for safe arrival.
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Dianne on Apr 12, 2026
5 out of 5 starsI love these trees. Ordered them last year and was very impressed.
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Athena on Apr 11, 2026
5 out of 5 starsAdorable ceramic figure arrived quickly, was well packaged and as described. Would highly recommend!
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margo on Mar 20, 2026
5 out of 5 starsSure to be a heirloom piece and looks magical with my other trees.
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About FirstTheBestTheShop
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