Treasure Chest Thursday: Other Heirloom or Vintage Glass Ornaments

We have WAY more Christmas tree ornaments now than we will ever need, given that we don't put up a large tree any more, and also inherited a number of ornaments from my parents.  So I thought I would write about the stories behind a few of the more interesting ones.

The ones I'm writing about today are other heirloom and vintage glass ornaments that are either not Inge-Glas and Old World Christmas ornaments, or could not be verified to be those brands.   Some I bought, and some inherited from my parents. 

This first one fall into that latter category, as Mom and Dad gave it to me in 2012.  It says "West Germany" on the top of the hanger, so that would date this Glocken (bell) to before the 3 October 1990 reunification of Germany.  I found one via Google Lens described as vintage hand-painted blown mercury glass, champagne-colored with gold, green and brown leaves and gold glitter accents.  It measures about 3 inches by 1.75 inches.  The next three pictures show the complete design around the bell, which also has a bell-like indentation on the underside.

This heart ornament was also given to me by my parents in 2012.  Embossed in the hanger top is "Czechoslovakia," so it dates to 1992 or earlier (The Czech Republic was formed 1 January 1993).

This snowman ornament was received in 2012 from Mom and Dad.  The hanger top is embossed "Czech Republic," which dates it to 1993 or later.

The next three ornaments, a Santa and two Christmas trees, were also given to me by my parents in 2012.  I found trees via Google Lens similar to these two described as mercury glass, which is also known as silvered glass.  True mercury glass is free-blown double-walled, then silvered between the layers with solution containing silver nitrate and other materials, and sealed. It was produced originally around 1840 until at least 1930 in Bohemia (later Czechoslovakia, now the Czech Republic) and Germany, and in England from 1849 to 1855.  There are many reproductions currently marketed as "mercury glass," which can be distinguished from antique silvered glass in several ways, including lack of a double wall.  I don't think these three are true mercury glass.

"West Germany" is embossed in the top of this blue swirly ornament, so it would have been made prior to the reunification of Germany on 3 October 1990.  This is assuming this is the original top.  I have photos of this ornament in my tree in 2008, so I have had it at least that long - I'd have to ask my offspring if it might have been on an even earlier (1986 or later) tree.  The design looks like it was created with an acrylic pour or dirty pour technique.

The next three ornaments have Inge-Glas Star Crown Tops on them, but I'm not sure those were the original tops.  I liked the star top and may have used ones from broken ornaments to replace what was originally there.  I haven't found any comparable ornaments using Google Lens.  The third ornament (the red one) was purchased to replace another teardrop reflector ornament in a Pyramid (Rauch Industries) set that broke, and I think that was fairly recently, so it might be an Old World Christmas ornament.

© Amanda Pape - 2022 - e-mail me!

Inge-Glas and Old World Christmas Ornaments

We have WAY more Christmas tree ornaments now than we will ever need, given that we don't put up a large tree any more, and also inherited a number of ornaments from my parents.  So I thought I would write about the stories behind a few of the more interesting ones.

The ones I'm writing about today are Inge-Glas and Old World Christmas ornaments.   Some I bought, and some inherited from my parents. The Merck Family's Old World Christmas company, of Spokane, Washington, began in 1979.  They distributed German Inge-Glas ornaments in the U.S. from 1984 through 2000.  In 2001 Inge-Glas, of Neustadt, near Coburg, Germany, cut business ties with Old World Christmas and started selling directly to wholesale customers in the U.S.  Inge-Glas ornaments are clearly identified by the trademarked (in 1987) Star Crown top.  Old World Christmas has since had their ornaments manufactured in China and they no longer have the Star Crown top.*

Both companies state that they hand-craft their ornaments using techniques that originated in the 1800's. Molten glass is mouth-blown into finely carved molds. For Inge-Glas, the Müller-Blech family, glass-blowers since 1596 and now in the 15th generation, has a mold collection of approximately 15,000 items dating back two centuries. These are are maintained and preserved for use, along with molds for newer ornaments.  Balls (kugels in German), finials and many more ornaments are formed freely in front of the flame by experienced glassblowers.

Next, a hot solution of pure liquid silver is poured inside each ornament to coat the glass. The ornaments are then hand-painted and glittered in a series of labor-intensive steps  - up to 60 at Inge-Glas, where each ornament is painted by the same worker from first to last step.

In the 1987 Inge-Glas catalog, the ornament pictured below was item #3604, Ice Cream Cone w/Glitter, 5.5."  I bought this one during my time in the Seattle area, so before 2005, probably before 1996.  

I got this bell (Glocke) from Mom and Dad in 2012, when they were downsizing their ornament collection.  The Star Crown top on this one is embossed with

WGER

MANY

(West Germany), so it dates to before the reunification of Germany in 3 October 1990.  A listing for one on ebay described it as "Old World Christmas Ornament Bell 3808, about 3.5 inches high," but it is Inge-Glas because of the topper.

I have two of this next ornament, and received both from my parents in 2012.  The Star Crown top on this is embossed "Made in Germany," so it dates to after the reunification of Germany in October 1990.

The next two photos show two sides of an ornament described as the Inge-Glas "Fruit Basket" ornament in various online shopping sites, with strawberries, peaches, grapes, a pear and an apple.  This ornament measures about 2.5 inches in length. It was retired in 2001 so it was made before then.  However, the top is embossed "Made in Germany," so it dates to after the reunification of Germany in October 1990.  This one also came from my parents.

The next two images are the front and back of another Inge-Glas ornaments I got from my parents in 2012.  It is described in some online shopping listings as a "tropical flower" and is about two inches in diameter.  The top is embossed "Made in Germany," so it dates to after the reunification of Germany in October 1990.

The next ornament has a metal "OWC" (Old World Christmas) tag on it.  It's a piece of candy, about 2.5 inches long, and I *think* I got it from my parents, although I might have purchased it.  It would have been made in 2001 or later.

The next four images show two sides of two different Merck Family's Old World Christmas drop reflector ornaments.  They also have the metal OWC tags.  The paper tags indicate that they were made in China in 2001.  The paper tags also state that "Reflectors are a traditional favorite on Christmas trees.  With their many different angles, the textured indented sections reflect light in complex and intricate ways.  For this reason, reflector ornaments were believed to scare away evil spirits and ensure good luck."  I believe I bought these here in Granbury, Texas (so 2006 or later), either in an after-Christmas or going-out-of-business sale at a bookstore on the courthouse square.

Finally, I have two boxes of these tiny Merck Family's Old World Christmas ornaments that have never been used.  I picked them up in an after-Christmas sale at a bookstore on the Granbury, Texas, courthouse square that was closing (so 2006 or later). The boxes have 2004 on them and thus were likely made in China.

*source

© Amanda Pape - 2022 - e-mail me!

Treasure Chest Thursday: Corpus Christi Ornaments

We have WAY more Christmas tree ornaments now than we will ever need, given that we don't put up a large tree any more, and also inherited a number of ornaments from my parents.  So I thought I would write about the stories behind a few of the more interesting ones.

The ones I'm writing about today are ones we still put on the tree - meaning the offspring won't be getting them anytime soon - because they remind us of our life in Corpus Christi, Texas - even though I'm not sure I actually got any of these ornaments *in* Corpus Christi.

I bought this stained glass ornament because it reminds me of the Wagon, a 22-foot Catalina sailboat that was my husband's first:  

The sails on this balsa-wood sailboat ornament actually pivot a little bit, which makes me think of tacking while sailing.

This next one is an ornamental key to the City of Corpus Christi, Texas.  I received it from Mayor Luther Jones after taking countless photos of him presenting one of these keys to others, during my time working for the City's Information Services (aka public information) Offiice, October 1981 through March 1983.

I know I liked the idea of a holiday "tree" decorated with shells.  One year I sent a Christmas card with just that image, with a sea star at the top.  Having lived almost all of the first 27 years of my life on or near the Texas Gulf Coast, holiday images full of snow were never relevant to me.

The shells that make up the body and wings of this angel ornament were common enough along Texas Gulf Coast beaches (incongruous arks look like these), and cowries could also be found there, but the head of this angel is actually a gold ring cowrie, not found in Texas.

Of course I had to get a palm tree ornament - this one was rather unique.

The lightning whelk is the Texas state shell.  While it's hard to tell exactly what this glass shell ornament is supposed to be, it has the conic shape of a whelk.

I really liked these cross-sections of shells.  The one on top was an earring; I lost its mate.  I can't remember where I got the second one.

Finally, oyster reefs were at one time common between Nueces and Corpus Christi bays, stretching from Rincon Point on the north end of North Beach to Indian Point on the Portland side, roughly where the highway causeway between the two areas is today.  It was even used as a road in early years.  Mark remembers going out there with his father and friends in the early 1970s to harvest oysters.  They were all gone by the 1980s, although efforts are now being made in the area to farm them.  Mark never found a pearl in his oysters, though.

© Amanda Pape - 2022 - e-mail me!