| Short Factory Tour |
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Short
History and Tour of the
Hagen-Renaker Plant in
San Dimas
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Hagen-Renaker as most people now
know, began in a garage in Culver City in
California in 1944. At that time they
were producing tableware dishes, flower
bowls, plates and plaques. The next major
development occurred in 1947 with Maxine
Renaker's thumb sized duck.(left picture)
which in effect was the beginning of the
miniature line. By 1951 Hagen-Renaker had
expanded and moved to Monrovia where the
Designer's workshop was started in 1952
and run by Bill Nicely and Nell Bortells. |
| Hagen Renaker moved to its
present site in San Dimas in 1962. The
Designers Workshop was phased out in
1972. It was resurrected briefly in the
early 80's at the San Marcos Factory. (It
was then closed in 1985). |
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| The miniature line has been going
for more than 50 years now and is the
life blood of HR, although 10% of all
production is in the Specialties line.
The pictures below, show the factory and
the process of production. |
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The unassuming sign as one
approaches the factory
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the main gates. |
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Some figurines on display in the
general office. |
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An original horse sculpture from
which a mold is made. From
that single mold, when
the horse sculpture is removed,
liquid
| metal is poured
into the mold to produce
a pewter model, from |
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| this pewter model the molds are
produced. 30 - 40 ceramic figures can be
produced from each mold. These molds are |
| cleaned and the rough edges
removed. The molds are then filled with
slip (liquid clay). When dry they are
opened. |
| The clay models are layed out on
trays ready to go to the kilns for
firing, after which they are decorated
and then the |
| figures are fired a second time.
When removed from the kilns they are
dipped in glaze, if required and fired a
third |
time and the little
works of art are finished.
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Decorating the figurines.
The finished little works of art |
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