An American businessman named Max Eckardt launched Christmas tree decorations imported from Germany to the US round 1907. The ornaments consisted largely of small hand-blown glass balls that have been colorfully adorned. Late within the Nineteen Thirties although, it was plain to Eckardt that the oncoming conflict was going to disrupt his provides. So he made a enterprise association with the Corning Glass Firm that obtained them began on Christmas decoration manufacturing of their gentle bulb vegetation. Corning began making the glass ornaments after adapting their very own gentle bulb manufacturing course of and proceeded to ship ornaments to each Woolworth’s shops and to Eckardt’s factories the place the plain ornaments could possibly be additional adorned by hand after being machine-lacquered.
Because the wartime shortages elevated, making each lacquer and silver tough to come back by, Eckardt began having the ornaments adorned in pastels and vibrant colours. Because of this, Shiny Brite ornaments turned very fashionable due to their uniqueness and shortly develop into a staple of each household’s Christmas timber. By the tip of the conflict, Shiny Brite was the most important producer of Christmas ornaments on the planet and the recognition of the ornaments raged on into the Fifties.
Shiny Brite stopped making and promoting the glass balls in 1962 due to manufacturing disruption and due to the altering enterprise panorama and moved into the manufacturing of plastic ornaments, which by no means proved to be as well-liked. However now that we’re within the twenty first century, demand for the unique classic glass ornaments has shot up and you will find many “Shiny Brite” ornaments throughout Ebay.
One factor to remember although when buying on eBay for these ornaments is that many sellers and patrons appear to suppose that “Shiny Brite” refers to a sort of decoration slightly than a selected model title. So in case you are trying particularly for ornaments made by Max Eckardt’s firm, you would possibly need to perform a little digging into the auctions.
Along with the classic Shiny Brite Christmas ornaments obtainable at vintage retailers, flea markets and on-line, Christopher Radko began making reproductions of the ornaments round 2001 and you will find these on eBay as properly. Typically although you do not have to fret concerning the Radko reproductions being handed off because the classic ornaments as a result of Radko’s ornaments are collectible in their very own proper. Additionally, Radko’s ornaments are made in Europe and the entire unique Shiny Brite’s have been of American manufacture.