How to Care for and Store Antique Glass Christmas Ornaments

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For many collectors, hanging antique molded and free-blown glass ornaments has come to represent the ultimate way to decorate your Christmas Tree, adding sparkle AND nostalgia from the past to your modern holiday. Hand-decorated, fragile, thin-walled ornaments with silvering, fancy designs, and mica glitter add an elegance that is not possible with modern, more cheaply made styles. Obviously, once you have found your special treasures, you want to take special care in handling and storing them. Some tips:

When hanging on your tree, place it higher up to avoid accidental “bumps” (and to help you see them better)!

If dusty, use a makeup brush to gently remove dust & light dirt. If still dirty and does not have any spun glass extra details that could be damaged, some recommend submerging carefully in warm, soapy water, using only your hand to wash. Allow to air dry.

Store in a place where the temperature does not fluctuate too much. Damp, cold basements or heated attics can damage the silvering and cause the hand-painted designs to flake. Look for a safer storage location with a consistent temperature range and minimum moisture.

Do NOT store wrapped in newspaper, as the ink can rub off onto the glass. Acid-free paper is best.

Either remove the hooks or store them so the hooks do not touch the glass to avoid scratches.

Divided boxes can either be built OR purchased.

Carefully store, and now start looking forward to finding NEW examples to add to your collection for NEXT year’s joyous holiday. Check out our extensive collection of ornaments at our connectibles store.

LBG Locomotive Engine 2010 & 2080D G Scale

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Your Treasure Hunters were on the prowl in Massachusetts this past weekend, where we found some great new items. Pictured here are two LGB G Scale Locomotive Engines, the model 2010 and the model 2080D. These large-scale trains are made in Germany, are in excellent condition, and come with their original boxes. We also picked up eight train cars to go with the engines. I love it, when long time collectors decide to liquidate some of their inventory.

Lehmann Gross Bahn (LGB) is mainly responsible for the popularity of “garden railroad models” in Europe. These trains are so well built that they withstand outside weather. Wikipedia has a great article discussing the history of LGB. A great read if you are interested in G-scale trains. Please check out these great trains at connectibles.

WPA Limited Edition signed Print GYULA ZILZER Milking Goat 1936 NYC

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Pictured here is one of our great WPA prints, which are pretty exceptional. These are guaranteed authentic 1930s works of art, NOT modern reproductions. All are from the New York City Graphic Arts Division and provide a unique opportunity to own both a striking work of art AND an actual piece of United States “history.”

The featured print is a signed ORIGINAL 1936 etching print by artist GY ZILZER (1898-1969) titled “Milking.”  Signed, inscribed, dated 1936, stamped with Federal Art Project NYC WPA stamp on lower center. TERRIFIC lines, crisp image.

Gyula Zilzer, born in Hungary, studied with Hans Hoffman in Paris. After working in the Federal Arts Project in New York City, Zilzer moved to California, where he became an illustrator & eventually contributed to numerous films. His work has been featured in many international art shows & awards. It is included in the collections of the Smithsonian Archives of American Art, the British Museum, and the New York Public Library.

PRINT Details are:

  • Image size approx 9″ x 12″; overall paper size is 16″ x 11″.
  • Signed, dated & inscribed by Ida Abelman, graphite bottom right &  bottom left. Print is #24 in the edition.
  • Image is rich & excellent, and fine impression on cream paper.

These WPA prints were issued in small editions of up to 25; artists in the WPA program were allowed to produce only that number of each print, and many were carelessly destroyed when the program ended as we entered World War II. Due to the minimal number of existing prints, you are unlikely to find this image again easily. A variety of WPA Prints are available at connectibles.

Keith Haring artist VILAC Aqua Blue Child CHAIR

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We love Petitcollin & Vilac dolls & toys designed in France. Here is one of the most fun items they offer! Cheerful chair designed by artist KEITH HARING has just arrived from France, new in original box.

  • Measures 28.3″ x 18.9″ x 9.1″, some assembly required.
  • This is their NEWEST color, a light aqua turquoise blue.
  • Beautifully turned, smoothed, sanded & lacquered wood is the hallmark of all Vilac designs.

Keith Haring (1958-1990) was an artist and social activist who was first recognized for his chalk drawings in NYC subways. He was greatly inspired by graffiti art, as you can clearly see in one of his most famous drawings, “The Radiant Baby”. Vilac has created a variety of products inspired by Keith Haring’s art, and we’re delighted to offer this special item for your child’s nursery, bedroom, or family room!

Vintage Women’s PLATTER HAT Velvet B/W 50’s

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We recently found a wonderful group of vintage men’s and Women’s hats, fresh from a local collector. Perfect for those who LOVE the show “MAD MEN” as much as we do! Don & Betty Draper’s styles, ready for YOU. It can use some airing after being in storage for decades. This hat is my personal favorite from this group! A striking platter hat, black velvet and white soft & fuzzy (beaver felt, angora?) alternating panels. Lack velvet clip, dramatic style!

Companion Dolls – Patti Playpal

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In 1959, a NEW and unique design of doll was offered to lucky girls – “life-size” was the defining new concept for COMPANION dolls. Whether a 23″ baby, a 28″ toddler, or a 35″ doll, the size of a 3-year-old, all are the actual size of their real-life counterparts. Most homes could only fit ONE of these dolls at best, so they were treasured.
The standard was set by Ideal with its PATTI PLAYPAL line, although many other brands, including Betsy McCall, also offer similar products. The fun of owning companion dolls is that they can be redressed in clothing from any children’s store, so you can personalize them with an incredible variety. Patti Playpal wears approximately a size 3T, and many collectors enjoy dressing them for special holidays – picture her standing next to your family Christmas Tree, or in a Halloween costume next to your display!
Starting or adding to a collection is relatively easy —there is a wide variety of hairstyles, some considered rare. Outfits, accessories, and brands offer endless variation. Our 5 granddaughters are fascinated by life-size dolls because they can really be a “sister” or friend in their creative play, leading to wonderfully imaginative stories. Adult collectors are fascinated by the delight of stumbling across a NEW hairstyle or color they’ve discovered. Mostly, they just make us smile with delight!

 

International eBay Sales are Great

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I am constantly amazed at the volume of our international sales. I think there are several reasons for this. The most important thing is the reasonable shipping fees from the USPS for items weighing less than four pounds. This class of service, called First Class Mail International, accounts for most of our international shipments. Another reason is that we use the Pirate Ship mailing service to print our mailing labels, which allows you to buy inexpensive insurance for this class of mail. I think these two business practices give international customers confidence in buying from Connectibles.

 

Several Great Software Programs we Use for our eBay Listing

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In effort to differentiate our eBay listings from others, we have picked up several software tools for improving our photographs. The first product is Bling It! It is great to be able to remove the background in a photograph and replace it.  It’s easy to remove the old background but keep the product because Bling! It has done all the hard work by tracing all the key edges in the image. Simply paint Delete outside these edges and Bling! It will flood-fill right up to the edge – a bit like painting by numbers!

Another great piece of Photo software in Picnik Image Editors.  This is a wonderful editor that makes your photos fabulous with easy to use yet powerful editing tools.  Tweak to your heart’s content, then get creative with oodles of effects, fonts, shapes, and frames.

Both of these software packages can be downloaded online and each has a free trial period, check it out!

Halloween Rhinestone SKULL Napkin Rings Pirates

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Love to decorate for Halloween festivities? We’re delighted to have found this NEW set of Crystal Rhinestone SKULL napkin rings, designed in Paris by Mural. Make no bones about – you’re going to love this eerily charming set!

The 4 rings are frighteningly cute thanks to the rhinestone embellishment throughout the design. Halloween or not, playing hostess just got more fun. Great PIRATE theme too!

A Brief History of Halloween

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Over 2,000 years ago, the Celts, who lived in what is now Ireland, began a haunting tradition. November 1st was considered New Year’s Day for the Celts, and they also celebrated the day before. On October 31st (or Samhain), the worlds of the dead and the living became one as the dead returned to earth, and the Celtic priests announced predictions about the future.

To celebrate this day, Celts wore costumes and attempted to tell each other’s fortunes. However, when the Romans conquered this territory, the Roman holiday of Feralia (a holiday commemorating the dead) was combined with the Celtic Samhain. After the Romans, Christian influence changed the celebration once again. Pope Boniface IV declared November 1st All Saints’ Day to honor saints and martyrs, apparently in an attempt to replace Samhain.

All Saint’s Day was also referred to as All-hallows, or All-hallowmas from the Middle English term for All Saint’s Day. Eventually, the eve of this day was called All-hallows Eve, a name that would one day turn into Halloween. Eventually, All Souls’ Day was added on November 2nd, and the three days together became known as Hallowmas.

When Europeans came to America, they brought their Halloween traditions along. These traditions came together with the celebrations of American Indians and other ethnic groups, creating a uniquely American version of the holiday. Early celebrations were usually public events full of dancing, singing
, and storytelling.

Late-19th-century immigrants brought new twists to the Halloween tradition. These immigrants began dressing up on Halloween and going house to house asking for much-needed food or money, which eventually evolved into modern-day trick-or-treating. The Irish brought along jack-o-lanterns, which originated as coals or small candles placed inside turnips to ward off evil spirits. Once the Irish discovered that the pumpkins were easier to carve, the tradition began.

By the 1920s and 30s, Halloween became a community celebration with parades and parties. However, vandalism also became increasingly popular. In the 1950s, Halloween celebrations moved from the community to the classroom, and the popular tradition of trick-or-treating began to take hold, with candy used to bribe vandals to stop performing “tricks.”

Witches became associated with Halloween due to a European belief that witches would gather each year to celebrate and worship the devil. It was also believed that if one wanted to meet a witch, he should wear his clothes inside-out and walk backward on Halloween night, and a witch would appear at midnight!

Please visit our collectibles store for some very nice Halloween collectibles and gifts