Song bird with venetian dew
Material: Blown glass, metal clip, spun glass tail, mica
Size: 14,5 cm long
Age: ca. 1930
Origin: Germany, Lauscha
Condition:
Good used condition.
Description:
This antique glass bird from Lauscha dates to the first half of the 20th century, ca. 1930. Its silvered glass body is finely dusted with glitter and features moulded feather details. The long, pointed beak, small dark eyes and pale fibre tail define its appearance. The silver surface with its naturally aged patina gives this collectible piece a special charm. Guaranteed antique – not a reproduction.
"Fein Beglimmert" (finely mica-dusted) is a decorative finish found on vintage Christmas tree ornaments. It consists of tiny glass particles sprinkled and fixed onto the surface of glass ornaments, creating a glittering, textured, and highly decorative finish.
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.
