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

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