Glass plays an important role in our holiday cheer during this time of the year. From the decorated windows to the glass used in the twinkling lights, it plays an important part in our festivities. Vintage glass ornaments are an addition to your holiday traditions that can make the time special and build memories.
History of Vintage Glass Ornaments
In the late 19th century, Christmas trees went from small table-top versions to the floor-to-ceiling ones we know today. It was about that same time when hand-blown ornaments became popular. They came in the shapes of birds with spun glass tails, church bells, pinecones, Santa Clause, and fish.
The ornaments were first made in Czechoslovakia, Germany, and Poland. They came to America when F.W. Woolworth began making regular buying trips to Lauscha, Germany, to sell in his store beginning in the 1890s. During WWII, many Lauscha residents had to flee, and they brought ornament molds that had been in their families for many generations with them.
Treasured Collectibles
One of my favorite memories from childhood was helping my Mother carefully unpack the fragile Shiny Brite glass ornaments from their boxes. The art of making hand-blown, hand-painted glass ornaments is almost a lost art that speaks to the skill of traditional glass blowers. Many of these vintage treasures are quite rare, especially the older ones. They have found a new following of fans who are willing to pay a hefty price for them on sites like eBay, Etsy, and Amazon.
Add Vintage Glass Ornaments to Your Tree
Glass Christmas ornaments always bring a sense of nostalgia, which can make us feel grounded when we need it the most. Now, many big-box department stores offer cheaply made imitation ones made from plastic. But, no matter how they try, these cheap imitations will never match the delicate, paper-thin metallic glow of real vintage ones. It is as if their fragility is part of their beauty.
Now, you can find replicas that are made using modern manufacturing techniques, but there is something about the vintage ones that set them apart. Collecting vintage glass ornaments is a hobby that brings endless possibilities. Searching for those rare finds can be a fun activity around the holidays that everyone can enjoy.
Even if you do not find that priceless antique, adding a few of these vintage glass treasures will become a part of your holiday season tradition that honors the past, the present, and those skilled artisans who created them.
