Christmas Ornaments

About Antique and Vintage Christmas Ornaments

Until the mid-1800’s, Christmas trees were mostly decorated with homemade adornments or edibles like fruits and nuts. But the German entrepreneurs based in the glassblowing center of Lauscha had a better idea. They began producing decorative tree ornaments made out of blown glass. In the 1880s, F.W. Woolworth imported the first of these baubles into the U.S., triggering the American love affair with Christmas tree ornaments.

The first molded-glass Lauscha ornaments resembled fruits and nuts, presumably to replicate the tradition of putting the real things on trees. Glass pickles, of all things, were also produced. These were reportedly hung on trees in order to make a game of seeing which child could find it first—the reward was a year of good luck. Cookie shapes such as hearts and stars followed the food ornaments, while ornaments depicting children, saints, and animals appeared shortly after that...

Around the same time in northern Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), glassblowers were making what are now known as Gablonz ornaments out of silver-lined glass beads. Wire was used to string the beads together in a variety of shapes—from windmills and chandeliers to spiders and stars. Later, between the wars, transportation-themed ornaments appeared resembling boats, zeppelins, airplanes, and bicycles.

Meanwhile, in Dresden, beginning in about 1880, some nine different companies were making embossed cardboard ornaments, which are highly collectible today. Some were printed on just one side (referred to as "flat" by collectors) while others were printed on both ("double"). The most elaborate of the Dresden ornaments were those built of two molded pieces that had been glued together. Colors ranged from silver and bronze (to replicate the look of metal) to naturalistic hues (as you might guess, lobster ornaments were painted red).

Early catalogs by Dresden manufacturers such as Edvard Witte show menageries of common barnyard creatures as well as more exotic beasts—lions, polar bears, birds of prey. Eagles and owls were especially popular, and if you are in possession of an ostrich pulling a cart, then you own a particularly rare Dresden ornament. Flowers, fruits, and vegetables were common, but angels and other ornaments with religious themes were less so, making them more collectible today.

A particularly interesting subset of Dresden ornaments are those made between the 1930s and 1960s, reflecting the Soviet influence on that part of Germany. Some of these so-called Russian Dresdens seem oblivious to the political winds that swirled around them—a clown head, a man walking a dog, Puss ’n’ Boots—but when the ornament consists of a silver star with a hammer and sickle in its center from 1935, or a cute little waving Cosmonaut from 1960, the intended message is obviously more overt.

The handmade German ornament trade foundered after World War I, so American manufacturers filled the void, mass-producing ornaments that were sent to other companies to be decorated, often by hand. The largest of these symbiotic business relationships was between the Corning Company and Shiny Brite. In 1940, Corning was producing as many as 300,000 ornaments a day, which Shiny Brite decorated and packaged from 1937 until 1962—you can date the ones produced during World War II because their metal caps were replaced with cardboard ones to save metal.

Today, collectors of antique and vintage Christmas tree ornaments tend to focus on themes, periods, materials, or even shapes. For collectors of Shiny Brite in particular, a set of ornaments in its original festively colored box is also desirable.

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An Interview With Antique Christmas Ornament Collector Jerry Arnold

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Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Bohemian Christmas Decorations

Bohemian Christmas Decorations

This simple site showcases over 500 artistic Gablonz glass bead antique and vintage Christmas tree ornaments, made … [read review or visit site]

Papa Teds Place

Papa Teds Place

Theodore H. Althof, Jr's beautiful collection of vintage dimestore cardboard Christmas 'putz' village houses. Start… [read review or visit site]

Antique Christmas Lights Museum

Antique Christmas Lights Museum

George Nelson's incredibly detailed chronicle of vintage Christmas tree lighting. Browsable by decade and special t… [read review or visit site]

Old Soviet Christmas Cards

Old Soviet Christmas Cards

This site showcases over 1000 old Soviet Christmas and New Years cards from 1950 to 1990. Browse through page after… [read review or visit site]


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Top eBay Auctions  Help | Get weekly Christmas Ornaments email

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1971 Wallace Silversmiths Silver Sleigh Bell Ornament$499.99 Ends Friday 5 bids 18 watchers
The Office's Jenna Fischer Handmade Ornament *signed*$430.00 Ends Tuesday 45 bids 30 watchers
Towle Sterling Silver Set/12 Days Christmas Ornaments $302.89 Ends Sunday 5 bids 22 watchers
Wallace 1981 Candy Cane Ornament Complete With Box $259.99 Ends Monday 1 bid 12 watchers
Steuben Candy Cane Ornament Rare!$224.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 9 watchers
*20* Vtg Mercury Glass Bead Icicle Xmas Tree Ornaments $211.50 Ends in 15 hours 28 bids 44 watchers
Beautiful Swarovski Holiday Ornament - 1991$202.50 Ends Tuesday 9 bids 36 watchers
1971- Wallace Silversmith Silver Sleigh Bell Ornament$202.50 Ends Wednesday 8 bids 21 watchers
1986 Christopher Radko Denmark Mimbres I & Ii Ornaments$200.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 14 watchers
Swarovski Christmas Ornament 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006$190.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 5 watchers
Lot Of 100 Glass Prism Christmas Murano Icicle Ornament$179.00 Ends in 7 hours 1 bid 5 watchers
Vtg Bottle Brush Xmas Tree Mercury Glass Ornament Ooak$153.00 Ends Monday 19 bids 30 watchers
Dresden Ornament, Horse W Saddle, Germany C. 1900$150.00 Ends in 10 hours 1 bid 10 watchers
Waterford Crystal The12 Days Of Christmas Ornament 1982$150.00 Ends in 14 hours 1 bid 13 watchers
Beautiful Swarovski Holiday Ornament - 1993$146.27 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 27 watchers
Large German Mercury Glass "kugel" Grape Ornament-rare$145.99 Ends Monday 6 bids 27 watchers
Vintage German Kugel Glass Ornament Grape Cluster Heavy$141.49 Ends Sunday 5 bids 23 watchers
Green Grape Kugel Glass Christmas Ornament$140.01 Ends Sunday 4 bids 38 watchers
Rare Hard To Find 1980 Hallmark Frosty Friends Ornament$135.83 Ends Sunday 18 bids 26 watchers
54" Antique German Feather Tree & Old Ornaments $135.50 Ends Wednesday 9 bids 106 watchers
Margaret Furlong Tree Top Star Ornament 1984 Mib--rare$132.50 Ends in 11 hours 6 bids 24 watchers
Gorham Sterling 1352 Elf W/ Christmas Ball Ornament$129.29 Ends Sunday 4 bids 25 watchers
Tiffany & Co. Ornament Snowflake Sterling Silver Auth $128.49 Ends Monday 5 bids 17 watchers
1996 Texas State Capitol Ornament Rare Collectible Nib$127.50 Ends in 23 hours 8 bids 13 watchers
Mint In Box 1995 Swarovski Star Ornament$126.15 Ends Wednesday 7 bids 9 watchers
Vintage Bottle Brush Tree Shiny Brite Ornaments 19 Inch$125.89 Ends Monday 6 bids 20 watchers
Vintage Aunt Holly Marshall Fields Ornament Htf Mint!$122.50 Ends in 23 hours 12 bids 34 watchers
Beautiful Swarovski Crystal Snowflake Ornament - 1992$122.50 Ends Wednesday 15 bids 21 watchers
Vintage Christmas Ornaments Lot Glass Bulb Over 100 $113.50 Ends Sunday 6 bids 18 watchers
1996 Swarovski Snowflake Large Crystal Ornament W/box$103.27 Ends in 1 hour 4 bids 32 watchers
The Simpsons™ 12 Christmas Lighted Ornaments Plus Bonus$102.50 Ends in 19 hours 2 bids 4 watchers
Antique German Large Glass Bulldog Head Ornament$102.50 Ends Sunday 5 bids 31 watchers
Kirk Stieff 1981 Sterling Silver Rooster Ornament$100.99 Ends Wednesday 4 bids 17 watchers
Waterford 12 Days Of Christmas Ornament W. Box 1982$100.01 Ends Wednesday 14 bids 19 watchers
Danbury Mint 23k Gold Ornaments 75 Lot Set, 1981-2004$100.00 Ends Monday 7 bids 18 watchers
Buccellati Sterling Silver 2006 Christmas Ornament $100.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 3 watchers
Antique German Dresden Christmas Ornament - Elephant$100.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 28 watchers
Rare German Peacock Rattle German Glass Ornament$100.00 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 14 watchers
Sterling Gorham Icicle Christmas Ornament 1973 W/ Box$100.00 Ends in 23 hours 9 bids 26 watchers
New Jay Strongwater Peacock Swarovski Ornament Nib Nwt$99.99 Ends Sunday 1 bid 25 watchers
Lot Of Sterling Silver Christmas Ornaments$99.99 Ends Sunday 6 bids 9 watchers
1995 Swarovski Crystal Ornament W/original Box$99.67 Ends Sunday 3 bids 32 watchers
Lalique Ornament Red Icy Bubble 2007 - Rare$99.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 9 watchers
Buccellati Sterling Christmas Ornament Wreath 1991$99.00 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 2 watchers
Danbury Mint Gold Christmas Ornaments 1997 W Box $99.00 Ends Sunday 1 bid 4 watchers
1996 Swarovski Snowflake Crystal Ornament Large$98.67 Ends in 1 hour 4 bids 21 watchers
Gorham 1970 Gorham Sterling Silver Snowflake Ornament$96.02 Ends Sunday 7 bids 15 watchers
Antique German Glass Double Sided Turkey Ornament$96.00 Ends Sunday 4 bids 20 watchers
Sterling Silver Gorham Christmas Elf Ornament$93.35 Ends Thursday 9 bids 22 watchers
Vintage German Kugel Glass Ornament Grape Cluster Heavy$92.91 Ends Friday 3 bids 16 watchers
1996 Texas State Capital Ornament Rare1st Edition Nib$92.88 Ends Sunday 8 bids 2 watchers
1999 Swarovski Crystal Ornament W/original Box$91.00 Ends Sunday 4 bids 13 watchers
*35* Vtg Mercury Glass Bead Icicle Xmas Tree Ornaments!$91.00 Ends Sunday 9 bids 28 watchers
Gorham Sterling Silver Snowflake Ornament - 1970$87.00 Ends Tuesday 5 bids 11 watchers
Red&green Vtg Mercury Glass Bead Icicle Xmas Ornaments $85.00 Ends Sunday 7 bids 20 watchers
Danbury Mint 12 Gold Christmas Ornaments In Box-93&2003$85.00 Ends Monday 26 bids 6 watchers
Vintage Christmas Ornament Moth Painted Spun Glass Wing$81.00 Ends Saturday 13 bids 32 watchers
Mackenzie-childs Harlequin Star Ornament$81.00 Ends in 14 hours 17 bids 17 watchers

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Recent News: Christmas Ornaments

Source: Google News

Despite recession, Holly Day's donations increase
Hope Standard, November 20th

Lilly Vomberg (Santa Wreath donated by Barb Bell); Darcy L. (Fruit basket donated by TOPS); Joyce Olds (ceramic Christmas Ornament donated by Michaela...Read more

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Moultrie Observer, November 19th

MOULTRIE — The 2009 Moultrie Christmas Ornament commemorates Moultrie's sesquicentennial while being a first of its kind in the annual ornaments...Read more

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We Love DC, November 19th

By Rebecca, 2:15 pm November 19th, 2009 The 2009 White House Christmas ornament is upon us and this year's edition celebrates the presidency of Grover...Read more

Education: TC ornament sales to support scholarships
Texarkana Gazette, November 19th

A Christmas ornament commemorating Texarkana College Foundation's 50th anniversary has been unveiled and is available to the public...Read more

Treat the kids to reindeer and make a Christmas ornament
YourHub.com, November 18th

Treat your kids when the Elizabeth Library hosts their annual Christmas Ornament Party on Saturday, December 5th, 2009, from 12:30-2:00pm in the library...Read more

2009 Florence Christmas Ornament revealed
South Carolina Now, November 17th

Dr. Hunter R. Stokes Sr. Director of the Board of Trustees for the Florence Museum addressed visitors as the Official Florence Christmas Ornament was...Read more

Christmas ornament created to honor the Pee Dee
WMBF, November 13th

FLORENCE, SC (WMBF) - A Florence artist has created a new Christmas tree ornament to help honor the history of the Pee Dee. The Pee Dee Regional Center's...Read more

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