Snowglobes and Snowdomes

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About Vintage Snowglobes And Snowdomes

Water-filled glass snowglobes (aka snowdomes) originated in France in the late 1800s and gained popularity in the U.S. as a promotional item for thousands of travel destinations and roadside attractions.

Up through WW2, crudely fashioned glass snow globes were primarily novelties in the U.S., issued for Christmas or as keepsakes for events like the 1939 New York World's Fair. After WW2 came a desire for more fun souvenirs, however, and colorfully decorated glass disks and Italian shell based globes showed up. By the early 1960’s, souvenir snow globes had been overtaken over by the plastic Hong Kong made snow dome. ...

Snowglobes were integrally linked with early roadside travel, as early tourist amusement parks, motels, and restaurants needed to stand out from the crowd. Not mention famous landmarks, museums, caverns and caves, missions or old homes of famous people, trains rides, miniature golf, gardens, trained bear acts, animal parks and storybook castles. You name it and they sold snow globes!

Up through the 1960s, most American snowdomes were designed and manufactured by one of three companies, The Karol Western Corporation, Nanco, and the Allen-Lewis Manufacturing Company (they also made salt and peppers shakers, glasses, pennants, ashtrays, souvenir buildings, tablecloths and scarves).

With vintage souvenir snowdomes, rarity and condition are king. Rarity is usually determined by the customized scenic panels representing remote or abandoned locations and attractions.

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Interviews & Articles

Guest Column: Collecting Vintage Souvenir Snowdomes

These wonderful snow-filled objects are a world of fascination in themselves. Just shake one and see if you c… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Snow Globe Museum

Snow Globe Museum

Something about this collection makes you want to pick it up and shake it. Includes several hundred high resolution… [read review or visit site]

Andy Zito's Snowdomes

Andy Zito's Snowdomes

Andy Zito's partial showcase of his collection of over 4,500 snow domes (aka globes), browsable by category. Start … [read review or visit site]


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Saks Fifth Avenue Snow Globe Raleigh, Nc$104.50 Ends in 20 hours 3 bids 1 watcher
Disney Princess Cinderella Pumpkin Coach Snow Globe$102.50 Ends Sunday 11 bids 17 watchers
Superman Fortress Of Solitude Snowglobe #622/3500$99.99 Ends in 23 hours 1 bid 1 watcher
Original 1939 New York World's Fair Snow Globe$61.00 Ends in 11 hours 5 bids 14 watchers
Musical Snow Globe,decorative,christmas Visitor$59.95 Ends in 20 hours 1 bid 2 watchers
Rare Saks Fifth Avenue New York Musical Snow Globe -mib$52.00 Ends in 21 hours 4 bids 7 watchers
Partylite Holiday Wishes Snow Globe 2006 Retired$51.00 Ends Monday 6 bids 10 watchers
Disney Triple Princesses Lighted Musical Snowglobe$51.00 Ends Sunday 26 bids 15 watchers
E.t. Mini Snow Globe Vintage 1997 Universal Studios $51.00 Ends Monday 9 bids 4 watchers
Disney Sleeping Beauty Musical Snow Globe New In Box$50.00 Ends in 15 hours 1 bid 1 watcher
Christmas Santa Inflatable Snowglobe Animated Airblown$49.95 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 9 watchers
Disney Peter Pan Ship Ii Musical Snowglobe, Nib Buy it Now$48.00 Ends Wednesday 7 bids 5 watchers
Saks Fifth Avenue Snow Globe Denver$48.00 Ends in 20 hours 1 bid 2 watchers
Disney Princess Wedding Large Snow Globe$47.00 Ends in 2 hours 4 bids 6 watchers
Princess And The Frog 2pc Snowglobe Figurine Disney New$46.22 Ends Thursday 14 bids 15 watchers
Disney Sweet Belle And Beast Large Snow Globe$46.00 Ends in 2 hours 5 bids 3 watchers
Rare Disney Beauty And The Beast Musical Snowglobe$46.00 Ends Sunday 14 bids 22 watchers
Rare High Quality Boyd's Pooh Eeyore Tigger Snowglobe$45.99 Ends Monday 2 bids 10 watchers
Disney Two Gun Mickey Large Snow Globe$45.00 Ends in 57 mins 5 bids 2 watchers
Disney Goofy With Fish Bowl Large Snow Globe$45.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 2 watchers
Anita Goodesign Snow Globes Embroidery Design Cd$44.99 Ends Monday 1 bid 2 watchers
Wizard Of Oz Wicked Witch & Flying Monkey Snow Globe$44.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 3 watchers
Nightmare Before Christmas Snowglobe Halloween Town Nib$43.00 Ends in 16 hours 9 bids 15 watchers
Rare Saks Fifth Avenue San Francisco Snow Globe - Mib$42.00 Ends in 22 hours 2 bids 4 watchers
Original Box-nemo & Crush Authentic Original Snowglobe$41.00 Ends in 18 hours 17 bids 7 watchers
Disney Beauty And The Beast Snowglobe - Rare!$41.00 Ends Wednesday 5 bids 2 watchers
Lot 3 Disney Snowglobes Sleeping Beauty Aladdin Pooh ++$41.00 Ends in 22 hours 2 bids 6 watchers
Disney Mulan Musical Snowglobe New W/tag No Box Perfect$41.00 Ends in 23 hours 7 bids 7 watchers
Nightmare Before Christmas Large Musical Snowglobe New$41.00 Ends Wednesday 2 bids 9 watchers
Disney Pooh Double On Books Large Snow Globe$40.00 Ends Monday 1 bid 2 watchers
Disney Sleeping Beauty 40th Anniv. Snowglobe - Retired$40.00 Ends in 14 hours 7 bids 9 watchers
Michael Myers Halloween Snow Globe & Vhs Set; Nice!$35.56 Ends Monday 11 bids 12 watchers
Disney Alice In Wonderland & Queen Musical Snowglobe$35.55 Ends Monday 9 bids 27 watchers
Disney Jessica Rabbit Musical Snow Globe Nib$35.00 Ends in 20 hours 1 bid 5 watchers
$75.00 Christopher Radko Musical Snowrider Snowglobe$35.00 Ends in 19 hours 1 bid 2 watchers
Reed & Barton Nativity Snow Globe Musical W Lights$34.02 Ends Monday 5 bids 4 watchers
Collectable Musical Carousel Horse Snowglobe New Design$33.92 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 3 watchers
Lord Of The Rings Snow Globe Rare Frodo Gollum$32.00 Ends in 11 mins 2 bids 2 watchers
Disney Snow Globe Winnie The Pooh Christopher Robin$31.00 Ends Monday 8 bids 2 watchers
S/3 Mr Christmas Musical Lighted Snowglobe Valerie Hill$31.00 Ends in 28 mins 5 bids 13 watchers
Disney Ariel Large Snow Globe$31.00 Ends in 27 mins 8 bids 4 watchers
Fantasia 65th Anniversary Snow Globe$31.00 Ends Friday 4 bids 1 watcher
Collectable Musical Snow Globe Saks 5th Ave. New York$31.00 Ends Monday 5 bids 9 watchers
Disney The Nightmare Before Christmas Snowglobe Le2028$31.00 Ends Monday 12 bids 20 watchers
Mickey Mouse Walt Disney Snowglobe - Christmas Tree Car$29.99 Ends in 21 hours 1 bid 1 watcher
Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade 2008 Musical Snowglobe$29.99 Ends Tuesday 1 bid 3 watchers
King Size Flannel Sheet Set (snowglobes) New!!!$29.99 Ends Wednesday 1 bid 2 watchers
Dumbo Takes A Bubble Bath Snowglobe$29.50 Ends Friday 6 bids 5 watchers
Eddie Walker Retired Nativity Musical Snow Globe Mint$28.99 Ends in 21 hours 1 bid 1 watcher
Tinkerbell Light Up Lantern Music Box Snowglobe 12 In$28.88 Ends Sunday 1 bid 13 watchers
Disney Exclusive Toy Story Snowglobe - Retired$27.00 Ends Thursday 3 bids 11 watchers
New Inflatable Xmas Santa & Rudolph Snowglobe Music $26.00 Ends in 15 hours 2 bids 2 watchers
Disney Villains Large Musical Snowglobe Must See Exc$26.00 Ends Monday 5 bids 12 watchers
Mint Disney Store Snow White And Seven Dwarf Snow Globe$25.73 Ends in 20 hours 2 bids 6 watchers

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