Mushroom on clip
Material: Blown glass, metal clip, painted with gelatin
Size: 10 cm high
Age: ca. 1930
Origin: Czech, Bohemia
Condition:
Good used condition with normal signs of age.
Description:
This antique fly agaric mushroom ornament from Lauscha, dating to the 1930s, features a rich red cap with hand-painted white spots and an elongated, cream-coloured glass stem. A small sprig attached to the side adds a charming decorative touch. A metal spring connects the mushroom to a clip for fastening it to the Christmas tree. The preserved paintwork and age-related patina lend this collectible piece of historic Christmas decoration its distinctive charm. Guaranteed antique – not a reproduction.
Glass ornaments from Lauscha:
Since the mid-19th century, glass Christmas tree ornaments were made primarily by cottage workers in Thuringia. According to legend, a poor glassblower from Lauscha invented them in 1847 as a substitute for expensive apples and walnuts. A documented order for six dozen “Christmas baubles” dates to 1848. The construction of the Lauscha gasworks in 1867 enabled glassblowers to produce larger baubles with thinner walls. From around 1870, silver nitrate replaced the hazardous tin-and-lead alloy previously used to create their reflective finish. The ornaments were then hand-painted or dipped in colour and sometimes decorated with glitter. Trading firms in Sonneberg handled distribution. Exports to the United States, notably through F. W. Woolworth from around 1880, helped bring Lauscha Christmas ornaments to an international market.
