Few things say vintage Christmas like a box of old glass ornaments, with their worn silvering and soft, faded colors. Here's how to tell what you have and roughly how old it is.
What Is Mercury Glass?
"Mercury glass" is the popular name for glass that's silvered on the inside to look like shining metal. Very early pieces used mercury, but most vintage ornaments were silvered with a silver nitrate solution swirled inside the glass. The name stuck anyway.
Where It Began: Lauscha, Germany
Glass ornaments were first made in Lauscha, Germany, in the mid-1800s. Glassblowers created fruits, nuts, birds, Santas and countless figural shapes, often blowing glass into molds. In the 1880s, F.W. Woolworth began importing German ornaments to America, and glass ornaments took off.
Shiny Brite and the American Ornament
- In 1937, Max Eckardt founded Shiny Brite, working with Corning Glass Works, whose machines made thin glass balls in huge numbers.
- During World War II, silver and metal were in short supply. Many Shiny Brites from this time are unsilvered, with clear glass and painted stripes, and have cardboard caps instead of metal ones. These wartime pieces are favorites with collectors.
- After the war, Shiny Brite made the classic mid-century ornaments with bright colors, stripes, mica glitter and indents.
Other Makers and Countries
- Poland, Czechoslovakia and Austria made beautiful glass ornaments and Czech beaded ornaments.
- Japan made many inexpensive glass ornaments, especially in the 1920s and 30s and after the war.
- Christopher Radko began reviving the old-world style in the 1980s, with handmade, heavily decorated glass ornaments from European workshops. Early Radko pieces, like this 1989 Christopher Radko Spin Top ornament, are collectible in their own right.
How to Date a Glass Ornament
- Check the cap: older caps are often thin, soft metal, sometimes with "Germany," "Made in USA" or "Shiny-Brite" stamped in. Cardboard caps usually point to World War II. Plastic caps are typically later.
- Feel the weight: old ornaments are very thin and light. Modern ones tend to be thicker and heavier.
- Look at the silvering: vintage silvering often wears thin or flakes, leaving cloudy, dark or clear patches. Perfect silvering may mean a newer piece.
- Check the decoration: mica glitter, hand-painted details and faded colors suggest age; bright, perfect glitter and heavy paint are more modern.
- Boxes: original boxes with printed brand names, prices and "Made in" labels help date sets and add value.
What Collectors Look For
- Antique German figural ornaments, such as Santas, animals, fruits and characters.
- Unusual shapes, like indents, reflectors, bells and lanterns.
- Wartime unsilvered Shiny Brites with stripes.
- Ornaments in their original boxes.
- Bright color with minimal loss of paint and silvering.
Watch for Reproductions
Retro-style ornaments are made today in huge numbers, and many copy Shiny Brite designs. New ornaments usually feel heavier, have bright, even silvering, and plastic or shiny new caps. Some brands reissued the Shiny Brite name, so check for signs of age.
Caring for Glass Ornaments
- Hang with a soft ornament hook or loop, and check caps and wires before hanging.
- Never wash ornaments; water dissolves silvering and paint. Dust gently with a soft, dry brush.
- Store in divided boxes or egg cartons, wrapped in acid-free tissue, in a cool, dry place out of the attic heat.
Read our guide to vintage greeting cards and browse our holiday decor collection.
Is there one ornament your family has hung every year for as long as you can remember? What does it look like?