Vintage Finds #153 [Christmas Decorations]
Today I have some fun vintage Christmas finds for you to enjoy. Some of them are even available for sale in my vintage shop. Read to the end and find out about my special Black Friday discount. I think you’re going to like it.
Mercury Glass Garlands
It’s been a stellar year for me and mercury glass beads. I think I’ve bought almost a dozen strands. Perhaps people overlook them because thrown in a box they look similar to cheap plastic beads that one often finds at garage sales (cost: 50¢, value: $25-30).
This gold strand comes with it’s original cardboard circles at each end (cost: 50¢, value $25-30). Typically strands are about nine feet long, sometimes a bit shorter due to bead breakage. Available.
A bit more unusual, this strand contains a mix of angular, double beads interspersed with larger, yellowish-green beads (cost: 50¢, value: $25-35.00). It is likely Czechoslovakian.
Bottle Brush Trees & Wreath
Christmas simply isn’t Christmas without a bottle brush tree or two. I didn’t score as many this year as I would have liked. As a result, this late in the season, I paid a premium for these three (cost: $1 each). I’ll be using them for various projects.
The one in the front is truly vintage (value: $10-12).
Finding this bottle brush wreath (and two more just like it) about made my day (cost: $1.00 each, value: $12-15 each).
Glass Bulbs
I hesitated to buy this box of Romanian bulbs because they date only to the 80’s. Then I realized, that’s 35 years ago! Definitely vintage (cost: $1.00, value: $15-20 for all). I especially like the mushroom.
Here you see a few Polish glass bulbs from among the two dozen or so I bought in a large box at a garage sale (cost: 10¢ each, value: $2-4 each).
Polish bulbs are typically marked “Poland” on the cap (hurrah for easy ID), their necks are thinner than Shiny Brites, and their decoration is easily identifiable after you’ve seen them a number of times.
Twelve prety pastel Shiny Brites with glitter decoration (2 mismatched) (cost: 75¢, value: $25-30).
Set of nine space age Shiney Brites in jewel tones and with glitter decoration ($25-35).
Ephemera & Books
A nostalgic, 1957 Coca Cola ad from the back cover of a National Geographic magazine (cost: 25¢, value: $8.00).
Another ad, this one from 1964, with a couple of small tears (cost: 25¢, value: $6.00).
I’ve always loved this book by Margaret Wise Brown (© 1952) and buy it whenever I see it (cost: 25¢, value: $8).
Christmas carol books tend to sell well; this is a nice 80 page version dating to 1947 (cost: 25¢, value: $6-8).
Deer
I’ve been on the hunt all year for small deer to use in various Christmas dioramas. These will do nicely (cost: 25¢ each, value: $3-8 each).
For Santa
This old thermos will look terrific with the red plaid versions I already own (cost: $1, value: $10-12). It will also be perfect for keeping Santa’s hot chocolate nice and hot on Christmas Eve.
And for serving the chocolate, how about a vintage snowman mug, manufactured by a Japanese company with a “Lego” paper label on the bottom (cost: $1, value: $4-6). I think Santa will enjoy him.
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You’ve shown some of the loveliest things today! Pieces of a childhood Christmas! Love everything here.
So many wonderful goodies…I do love vintage Christmas! Hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving, Diana!
What beautiful and nostalgic Christmas decor. I absolutely love those bead garlands. They bring back sweet memories of decorating my Great-Grandmother’s tree each year 🙂
What a wonderful treasure trove of vintage Christmas decorations ! I especially love the first mercury glass garland!
Such fabulous Christmas finds! Love those sweet little deer.
Such awesome finds. Love the angular shaped garland and the Coke ads. Ever since I discovered the beautiful ads in Nat Geos years ago, I’m always on the hunt for them. Some ads can bring a pretty penny. You’re offering yours at excellent prices!
So many cute things. I’ve never seen that book by Margaret Wise Brown but now I will be looking for it. I love her!!
Hi Diana,
I have never seen mercury glass beads before, they are so pretty!
All of your finds are amazing…I am a huge lover of all things Christmas and I love everything you found! That mushroom ornament is cute! And I especially love the thermos too!
Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving! Hugs, Kimberley
I am partial to the little deer and the thermos but loved it all. Have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving.
You have to know by now that the deer are my favorite! I also just picked up a plaid thermos at a pop-up estate sale and I was thrilled. I grew up with Shiny Brites, love them!Bottle brush trees are a weakness of mine……xoKathleen PS Happy Thanksgiving!
Wonderful finds!! Love those mercury glass beads!!
Hugs,
Debbie
Oops! I goofed in the last comment….LOL. Love ALL your great finds!
Diana, OOOH love this post, your beads are the best! And so love the old cards. I think Christmas cards maybe obsolete soon, sadly. Fun stuff===wait until next week, to see what I snagged, oh my…can’t wait to post it! Happy Thanksgiving! Sandi
You found some great finds…I have been looking for deer and lambs forever and can’t find many. I have scored some vintage trees that cost me…and a vintage balsam wood church that really cost me…wish I could be so lucky as to find them thrifting…Keep an eye out for me!
The pretty glass balls bring back happy memories.
Some amazing Christmas finds, Diana! Thank you for sharing them with “Let’s Talk Vintage!”
I love glass beads and have a couple of sets. Those are beauties! I always pick up vintage deer and bottle brush trees. I’ve had better luck with deer than trees. I decorated a small live tree in my entry with mushroom ornaments. A few of them I got at an estate sale. Hope to find more! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann