Putz Village Christmas Houses

About Antique and Vintage Putz Village Christmas Houses

The tradition of building miniature Christmas village landscapes (‘putz’), including houses, animals and other hand-crafted wooden figures, began with the Pennsylvania Dutch in the late 1800s. Mass-produced cardboard Putz houses, sold in dime stores, became popular in the mid-20th century, and have also become highly collectible.

These creative and colorful cardboard houses were initially imported from Japan in the late 1920s, a logical outgrowth of the candy/surprise-box houses the Japanese had been making for some time. As whimsical, delightful "eye-candy" on open dimestore counters, they were an immediate sensation. The finest houses were produced for less than ten years, because the onset of WW2 brought a trend toward more "realistic" toys and trains. However, Christmas village houses have continued to be produced in some form up to the present.


Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Antique Christmas Ornament Collector Jerry Arnold

About 42 years ago, my wife, Darla, went to a very large white elephant sale and found a box of antique Christmas o… [more]

An Interview with Antique Christmas Decorations Collector Dolph Gotelli

I grew up in a home without any antiques. As a small kid, I started decorating my parents’ home for Christmas. I do… [more]

Guest Column: A History of Dimestore Christmas Village Houses

The following is a history of these wondrous little artifacts called cardboard Christmas village houses - a history… [more]

Guest Column: A Guide to Christmas Antiques and Vintage Christmas Decorations

Ever wonder about that box of vintage Christmas decorations in the attic? From wooden nutcrackers to glass Christrm… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

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]

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]

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]


Got a site to suggest? Let us know.




Clubs & Associations: Christmas


Other Great Reference Sites: Christmas

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45 Putz Vintage Hand Carved Wooden Animals And Figures$41.51 Ends in 13 hours 6 bids 23 watchers
Pair Antique German Wooly Stick Leg Putz Sheep $31.51 Ends Thursday 5 bids 21 watchers
30 Putz Vintage Hand Carved Wooden Animals $27.00 Ends in 13 hours 8 bids 16 watchers
5 German Composition Putz Reindeer $24.99 Nr$24.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 11 watchers
Antique Early Wooly German Putz Goat/sheep $21.49 Ends Wednesday 3 bids 31 watchers
Vtg Lot Putz Houses, Mica Snowmen, Bottle Brush Trees$21.00 Ends Thursday 4 bids 25 watchers
6 Putz Vintage Village Buildings Hand Made Wood Houses$15.50 Ends in 14 hours 3 bids 11 watchers
Cardboard Putz Christmas House Large Log Cabin 1920s$10.50 Ends in 20 hours 2 bids 23 watchers
German Turkey For A Putz Scene$9.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 10 watchers
3 Germany Deer Reindeer Putz Metal Standing & Sitting$9.99 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 22 watchers
Antique Christmas - Putz Lead Deer - Standing Stag$9.95 Ends Sunday 1 bid 6 watchers
Vintage Christmas Metal German Deer Putz Reindeer$7.99 Ends Thursday 1 bid 11 watchers
Paper Mache House Easter Christmas Putz Crafts Doll$6.95 Ends Thursday 1 bid 2 watchers
Vintage Putz Woman With Pail And Cow$5.99 Ends in 7 hours 1 bid 4 watchers
Another Antique Large 4" German Putz Stick Sheep $5.00 Ends Saturday 1 bid 10 watchers
Antique Large 4" German Putz Stick Sheep $5.00 Ends Saturday 1 bid 11 watchers
Lot 3 Plastic Reindeer Deer Buck Christmas Putz Display$4.99 Ends in 9 hours 2 bids 3 watchers
Mariners Lot (305)cards W/ichiro/johjima/hernandez/putz$1.95 Ends in 5 hours 1 bid 1 watcher
8 Handmade Wooden Animals - Probably German - Putz$0.99 Ends Sunday 1 bid 11 watchers

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