Sorting through vintage Christmas ornaments, the 2009 event

 

Sorting through this year's accumulation of Christmas ornaments is a job that's gotta be done, but as jobs go, it's not a bad one.

 

And compared to last year's event, it was a pretty easy one. Despite how it might look right now, this year was mediocre at best for Christmas ornaments. Last year was an over-the-top fabulous one, so I'm probably a little spoiled.  

 

Like buttons, ornaments always look so much better when they're all organized and grouped together.
 
 

Here are some lovely old Shiny Brites with sparkling mica.

 

I found this pile of fresh boxes of ornaments at a yard sale a few years ago (I actually pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming) and I cannot decide whether to keep them or sell them. There aren't too many things over the years that I've later regretted selling, but there are a few, and these I might.

 
  
I'd have trouble parting with these, too, except I already have some - great big hand-painted flowered ornaments from Poland.

 

More handpainted ornaments from Poland. At one of the local antique stores the other day, I found a bowlful of ornaments just like this, marked $8 each. That's not what annoyed me. What annoyed me was that each tag was carefully marked "German ornament, $8," when anyone could clearly see they were not German. I was kind of beyond annoyed - more like offended. I actually considered taking one of the ornaments to the checkout and demanding a correction. Fortunately, my inner voice whispered to stop acting like an insane person, and I did. I let it go. It's possible that I take Christmas ornaments a little too seriously.

 

Oh, and these, wonderful war-era ornaments that don't have the customary silvering inside. (You can read more about those here - it's the same link as above.) f you look carefully at the bright pink bulb and the lantern-shaped one, you can see a sprig of tinsel inside.

I have a lot more pictures to take, and then I've got to list these. Most of them will be on eBay starting this week - probably Thursday - and I've got some fun stuff for Etsy, too. I wish listing ornaments were as much fun as buying them.

 
  

Comments

[Lavender Dreams]

I need to start watching your ETSY. I went to 3 thrift stores today and didn't buy anything...a new record! lol I didn't see any neat Christmas stuff! Love all of your pretty things!

[Wendy]

I am so jealous! I have only found ONE vintage ornament in all of my hunting!

[Janelle]

Can you post the link here when they go up on Ebay? I am interested!

[Jenny The Red Bulletin Board]

Excuse me, I did not mean to drool all over your post, but it was unavoidable!! hehehe! LOVING all the vintage goodness!

[Beth Leintz]

I was just pricing ornaments for my booth at the antique mall and found a box just like your Polish ornaments- and you can bet your boots that I knew they were Polish- but I priced them at $3- maybe that's too low?

I'm with you- its much more fun to buy the ornaments than to list them on Ebay- even worse than listing them is trying to pack them for safe shipping.

By the way- ALL the ornaments are breathtaking.

[April]

Not a bad haul! You did better than I did I think....

[laurie magpie ethel]

High five girl! Not a bad way to spend the day sorting such lovely finds....tis the season!

[LiLi M.]

What really amazes me is that you seem to find the Christmas ornaments by the (filled) box, as I find them in a big cardboard box, loose, amidst a lot of crap and then I'll take them home in a small box, usually the seller doesn't have any wrapping paper or worse in a thin plastic bag in my shopping cart, hoping that nobody would fall against my shopping cart as last time a lady did. Boy, she was happy to land soft....
I especially collect the vintage glass blown figurines. I remember you showing some of them, or was this in my dreams? Do you keep those yourself too, no matter how many you have (like I do!)?
Have a great Sunday!

[georgiapeachez]

It sure was a crap year for finding ornaments. Maybe we have finally bought them all? Just look at all those fabulous boxes too!
I have noticed the prices are way down for ornaments on eBay this year so far. Except the pink ones of course. xo, suzy

[Sarah]

Sigh. I've been stalking ebay for ornies this year. Maybe these will sell for a price I can afford. (Doubtful, lol).

[susan]

wow, that is quite a collection! i love the old ornaments!

[Susan]

I put some big Polish ornaments on Ebay not long ago and they did pretty well, even made it to Austalia in one piece, which I was very happy about. I am sure you will do well with yours. I have a big collection myself and am always sad to let any go, but I there are only so many I can store. I never used to see them at thrifts or yard sales but in the last few years I have found so many, wonder why- I hope the trend continues!

[Sonya Dime Store Thrift]

OhMyGoodness. I just found you by happy accident. I love you, I love you, I love you!! I will be back often. Sonya

[Carol @ Old Glory Cottage]

I've been wondering why I haven't found any Christmas ornaments this summer. Surely I would find at least one box in all of the sales that I went to. But not a one. Now I know why. You have them all!

[Lynn]

I love Christmas ornaments - old and new.

[tammyCA]

Boy, you are super organized...what a cute Christmas attic. I'm so surprised that today I actually found a box of Shiny Brites at the Goodwill. They are just plain green balls but the fact that I actually found SB is a big deal...well, maybe not a deal at $2.99.

[jenny]

very nice haul! you should really put a link for your ebay page here as well...