Several companies make ornaments based on retro designs, and Christopher Radko has revived the old Shiny-Brite brand. But authentic vintage baubles, a flea-market staple, are plentiful and easy to collect. I should know: over the past three years, I’ve spent more than $3,000 on hundreds of old ornaments. (I’m not a loser; I’m working on a book.)You can buy a dozen glass balls online etched with sayings like TIS THE SEASON or SILENT NIGHT for $15. Serious collectors covet West German glass figures of workers from the ’30s, which can fetch $70. Consider ornaments crafted from more offbeat materials like celluloid (a precursor of plastic), spun cotton or tin.
If garage-sale rummaging’s not your style, search for “vintage ornaments” at ebay.com. There are about 4,500 available on any given day, the company says. Narrow your search by specifying a subject: Clowns? Blimps? Sputnik? They’re all there. Avoid ornaments described as “Old World.” They’re usually new. Hurry: auctions typically last six days, but if you send a money order or use an electronic payment service like PayPal, you’ll still have time to get that elf.
