The 1950s 'Shiny Brite' Christmas Baubles


These are original 1950s Christmas tree baubles, painted and by hand, over razor thin glass, with lashings of glitter.

It’s a miracle they’ve made it to Christmas 2010.


When I saw them a few years ago at an antique market I snapped them up for myself and my mother, because my Grandmother’s tree was full of these things, but the originals have been lost.


 As a child, I vividly remember poking my finger into each gleaming indent as Perry Como sang There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays. Magically, another finger poked back.


I bought three boxes of vintage baubles from that antique market. On the top of each box someone had kindly written “best”, “2nd best” and “3rd best”


Of course, mum got the best.


Aren’t they fab-u-lous?

Invitation to Comment

Tell me about your special ornaments, the oldest ones on the tree, or the hand made ones you cherish.

What’s your earliest Christmas memory?

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What is Vintage Copywriting? 

Gorgeous vintage finds, described with adoration and photographed up-close by English fashion copywriter Angela Montague. This blog fuses my day job as a fashion copywriter with my two obsessions: beautiful old things and photography.

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Comments

  1. I found a couple of boxes of old ornaments at a garage sale years ago in Tarrytown, NY. I paid 25 cents a box. They look like yours but were probably just from a department store, Woolworth's or something. Still have the original packaging. They bring back huge nostalgic feelings. But I think that's part of what Christmas is about. Thanks for posting your beautiful photos.

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  2. Thank you it is so right to say Christmas is nostalgia, reaching back to childhood. Thanks for the comment. I am sure these were Woolies too!

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  3. Lovely post and pictures. My mom has a tree full of these '50's ornaments. They look so sparkly and great with the little white lights. All of them came from my grandmother and her sister my great aunt and they have survived and endured over the years with a few loses along the way. There is something magical about these ornaments. There are 2 that are my favorite: I little white glass church with a dark green steeple and roof and an orange glow in the window; the other is a silver glass rose hanging upside down with touches of pink at the edges of the petals.

    Happy New Year!

    K.

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  4. Kelly, thank you for you detailed comment, I love the sound of that church! My tree is complete chaos but every ornament is the key to a memory, and I am working hard on giving my kids Christmas memories that will last too!

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  5. they still make amazing baubles hand painted on glass, check these out: http://netplant.co.uk/

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  6. ould you be willing to sell a specific one? I have searched for over 10 hours for one of the ornaments that you have. My grandma passed away in January and the only nice Christmas ornament that my grandparents had survived countless moves (grandpa was in the army). My dad was heart broken when my aunt took it and I am trying to find one to give him for Christmas.

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    Replies
    1. Danielle, please email me on angiash@googlemail.com and explain a little more about this story, please also say your location and which bauble you refer to.

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