Glass ornaments, specifically blown ornaments have a rich history in the world of Christmas decor. Ornaments were first seen on the Queen of England’s tree in 1846. A picture appeared that shown these hand-blown glass ornaments from the king’s native land decorating the tree, and it became a must-do home fashion trend.
Fast forward a year later to 1847 in Germany, these ornaments were taking off thanks to the publicity they had received at Christmas the year before. They were made by hand, so each ornament, even if it was meant to be the same, would be slightly different. They were made in several shapes, not just the typical bulb that people think about. Most commonly they were shaped like fruits and nuts, as these were easy for people to make. What sets these apart from other types of ornaments of the time was the silver coating inside, that was often made of mercury or lead.
The desire for these glass ornaments spread throughout Europe and then hit the United States in the 1880s. They were being shipped in from Germany as no US company had yet to start making these. Germany only saw competition in making these ornaments in 1925 when Japan started to make these as well.
The molds that were used for these ornaments remained unchanged throughout this entire time, which has led to many of these ornaments becoming highly collectible ornaments now. However, when WWII hit, many of the molds that were used by the German company were destroyed…leading many of the ornaments that were made before this time to be considered highly collectible and worth a small fortune.
Glass Ornaments Now
While glass ornaments now are not made in the same way…they are mass-produced. They are still reminiscent of the vibrant history that these blown glass ornaments once had. The original company in Germany has now merged with others, but they still produce some great glass ornaments even today. They still have the same craftsmanship that they did years ago, and thanks to people seeing the beauty in these ornaments, they are still sought after.
For those who have never considered ornaments on their tree, they are beautiful and they can let your tree have a one of a kind appearance. While they are fragile, when taken care of, they can last for years and years.
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