EVENT & AUCTION CALENDAR . on

Sensational Snowglobes CALENDARS

Smack Dab In The Middle: Design Trends Of The Mid-20th Century

By Donald-Brian Johnson

“Rosebud....”

And with that muttered word, the classic movie “Citizen Kane” opens. As publisher Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) breathes his last, a snowglobe falls from his hand and smashes on the floor.

Most globes, fortunately, lead a happier existence. Glass (and later, plastic) fluid-filled snowglobes (aka waterglobes, waterballs, snowdomes, snowscenes, snow shakers, or blizzardweights), with their picturesque interior scenes and all those swirling flakes, have been delighting us for over 140 years.

The first documented appearance of a snowglobe was at the Paris Universal Expo of 1878. According to the Expo report, the globe depicted a man with an umbrella attempting to protect himself against a snowy onslaught. It wasn’t until 1900, however, that the first globe patent was issued, to Erwin Perzy of Vienna.

A developer of surgical equipment, Perzy’s original goal was to come up with better reflective material for his Schusterkugel, a flask filled with water used to focus light during surgery. A snow-like effect occurred when the flask, filled with fluid and the new reflective particles, was shaken. Inspired, Perzy set up shop as a still-in-operation-today snowglobe manufacturer. That “Citizen Kane” globe was a Perzy.

America had to make do with imports until 1927, when Joseph Garaja of Pittsburgh was granted a domestic patent for his innovation: snowglobes assembled underwater, to assure that they were completely filled, with a tight seal. The recipe for what exactly went into a snowglobe remained a closely guarded secret. The object: to keep the snow whirling about as long as possible before sinking to the bottom. While original globes were water-filled, an eventual blend of water and glycerin or glycol helped the flakes make a lazy descent. Even better, the antifreeze-like mix kept the fluid from turning into a soonto-shatter iceball. Modern snowglobe snowflakes are mostly white plastic, but over the years a variety of substances have been tried: bone chips, porcelain bits, sand, sawdust, ground rice, and even soap flakes. Some were well-suited to a snowglobe’s theme: tiny blue foil bats for a Halloween globe and gold glitter for one starring Liberace.

While frosty figural themes, from jolly Santas to top-hatted snowmen, are a snowglobe staple, much more has been captured within them. Snowglobes celebrating scenic attractions and vacation destinations have remained tourist favorites since the 1940s, whether of Niagara Falls or Bermuda. There are globes geared to such pop culture favorites as Batman, Mickey Mouse, and Davy Crockett. Looking for a snowglobe for your favorite golfer? One for Valentine’s Day? A snowy salute to the Last Supper? You’ll find them all, somewhere amongst the 32,000plus globes listed daily on eBay. You’ll even run across the occasional gotta-havethis oddity: a snowglobe

The magic of a snowglobe as seen on this cover illustration by Alex Ross for the December 1942 issue of “Good Housekeeping.”

Here is a musical snowglobe released to commemorate the 75th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the annual kickoff to Christmas.

Continued on page 15 DELAWARE 01/02/23, LINCOLN, MON. AT

9AM, Victorian GWTWlamp, adv., Diamond State beer light, DE milk bottles, framed art, oil lamps, NCR brass hobnail oil lamp w/match. shade, Noritake, Longaberger baskets & pottery, glass nesting & Easter eggs, shotguns, estate jewelry, qty. furnishings/ accent pcs. incl. antq. & contemp. for ev. rm. in home, gilt & dec. wall mirrors, & much more!, Wilson's Auction Sales red bldg., Rte. 113, Wilson's Auction Sales, Inc.

ILLINOIS

01/14/23, UNION, SAT., The Beatles & Audio Equipment Auction, from collec. of Don Schlosser., Online Only: DonleyAuctions.com, Donley Auctions

01/28/23, UNION, SAT., Old West & Native American Auction., Online Only: DonleyAuctions.com, Donley Auctions

NEW JERSEY 01/01/23, WILLINGBORO, SUN.

AT 1PM, 21st Cen. Antiques Annual New Year's Day High-Qty. Auction. US WWII & militaria, folk art & prim., mid-cen. mod. furn./dec.: 5 tulip chairs, jade & glass bonsai trees, Atomic age Strato 'Shoot the Moon' mech. bank. Edison tabletop cylinder player w/brass horn, Swiss music box, adv., glass/ pottery, jewelry: 100's pcs., holiday incl. rare items!, Foster Military Lodge, 351 Charleston Rd., Chris Doerner, Auctioneer

OHIO 12/27-28/22, DUNDEE, TUES. &

WED. AT10AM, 2-Day year-end auction incl. 1000's of country store, antqs., advertising, furniture, primitives & stoneware. Pie safes, painted furn., cabinets, butter churns, coffee grinders, Stickley pcs., dec. stoneware, pantry boxes, spool cabinets, sugar buckets, music boxes, toys, quilts, samplers, military items, Mobil Oil lollipop, Pennzoil, etc., Live & Online: 17020 Dover Rd.; AuctionZip; BidSpirit; LiveAuctioneers.com, Atlee Raber Auctions

PENNSYLVANIA 01/01/23, SHOEMAKERSVILLE,

SUN. AT9AM, New Year's Day Auction! Life-sz. Blues Brothers & Charlie Chaplin statues, carved Indian statue, arrowheads, 1 & 5 cent slot machines, primitives, cast iron, scales, lighting, victrola, phonograph, glassware, Roseville, Hummels, racing coats, H.D. collec., adv., toys, furn. & more!, Shoemakersville Fire Co. Banquet Hall, 300 Church St., Wagner Auction Service

AUCTIONS

01/02-09/23, EAST GREENVILLE, CLOSES MON.

AT10PM, Late Neil Moore 450+ collec. of Saratoga & Saratoga-type bottles., Absentee Auction: www.glassworksauctions.com, Glass Works Auctions

01/05/23, KINZERS, THURS. AT

10AM, Furniture, antiques, rare/ notable artwork,19th-20th cen. Asian wares, fine cameras, navigational compasses, leatherbound books, antq./vtg. dolls, stereoscopes & views, mech. music machines & much more!, Live & Online: 5336 Mine Rd.; embassyauctionsinternational.com; liveauctioneers & invaluable.com, Embassy Auctions International

12/14/22-01/03/23, FOGELSVILLE, BEGINS CLOSING TUES. AT 6:30PM,

Breweriana, Tobacciana, Coke Adv. Vending mach.- 5 Coca-Cola & 1 Pepsi, 100 clocks, 40 thermometers, 100 Steins, 60 trays, DZS tap knobs, lights/ signs, decanters incl. 100 J.Beam, Michter's, 50 train & 50 car, limo., Ezra Brooks, wild turkey & figural., Online Only: www.zettauction.com, Zettlemoyer Auction Co.

12/15/22-01/01/23, EPHRATA, SUN.: SESS.1 BEGINS CLOSING ATNOON; SESS.2 BEGINS

CLOSING AT5PM, Vtg./ Mod. Toys in 2 Sessions. Playmobil, Fisher Price, Polly Pocket, Star Wars + other action figs., Breyer horses, collec. statues, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Hubley, Tonka, Marx jeep & trailer, Model Motoring, wind-up toys, vtg. battery-op. robots, antq. Mickey Mouse book & pillow case unused, antq. wdn. Buddy L, Fireball Island game, & more! , Online Only: www.GehmanAuctions.hibid.com, Gehman Auctions

12/25/22-01/03/23, DALLAS, SUN. AT1PM - TUES., 1st Annual New Year Online Auction. Antq. stained glass panels, antq. red settee, early oak Hoosier cabinet, oriental rugs, early corner cupboard, lg. butcher block, Beacon Hill dining rm. pcs., 1950's phone booth, clocks, jewelry incl. 10k, 14k, sterling, etc., qty. glassware, artwork, books, quilts, & more., Online Only: www.backmountainauctions.com, Back Mountain Auctions

12/27/22, GLEN ROCK, TUES.

9AM, 100 pcs. cast iron, 50+ signs, toys, J.Deere & I H tractors, tools incl. blacksmith items, swage block, leg vice, Enterprise #750 grinder, food ceramic kiln, food chopper, Wilton buffet vice, J. Deere Model A, Air Cool engines, uprights & kick starts, & much more!, 4067 Snyder Rd., Wehrly's Auction Svc.

12/27/22, MYERSTOWN, TUES.

AT1PM, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts end-of-year blowout! Sev. lg. musical stage props, alum. stage, skid of speakers, Zamboni, Hamilton Watch Co. outdoor clocks, architec. street lamps, JukeBox mach., early 10 cent Coca-Cola cooler, rare Reese's peanut butter cup ride displays, early lighting, Victor-sty. bird cage, disp. cases, & much more!, Online Only: www.kleinfelters.hibid.com, Kleinfelter's Auction

12/29/22, HARRISBURG,

THURS. AT10AM, Dolls Auction. Ball-jointed dolls. Blank, Face Up, Basic, & Full Kits, many in orig. boxes. Dollzone, Sweet Dolls, Blue Blood, Magic Time, Lasher Studios, Narin Creative, Only Kids, Dollmore, Doll Leaves & more!, Online Only: www.CordierAuction.com, Cordier Auctions & Appraisals

12/30/22, HARRISBURG, FRI.

AT10AM, Antq. & mod. furn., art, collec., hh. Hickory Amer. Masterpc. dining set, bookcases, Country Store cabinets, floor lamps, Chinese rug, antq. & mod. prints/ ptgs., 15 J. J. Audubon prints of birds, mantle clocks, crocks, Zippo lighters, Hamilton Beach triple mixers, sheath & pocket knives, DeWalt tools, dinnerware & more!, Online Only: www.CordierAuction.com, Cordier Auctions & Appraisals

12/31/22, OXFORD, SAT. AT

9AM, Dairy Collectibles & Milk Bottle Auction. Clean bottles w/farm scenes, cows, war slogans. Coffee creamers, s.cream jars, butter churns, butter crocks & molds, bottle caps, Dunloggin hist. bks. & Life Mag., Holstein cow & bull, milk trucks, metal signs, Golden Walker items, ice cream molds, bottle filler & many unique items., 1900 Bon Ox Rd., Larry Swartz, Auctioneer

SHOW & FLEA MARKET CALENDAR

GEORGIA 01/12-15/23, ATLANTA,

THURS.-SUN., Antique Market, 3650 Jonesboro Rd. SE, Atlanta Expo Center, North Bldg.

NEW JERSEY 02/11/23, TITUSVILLE, SAT.

9AM-3PM, Pinback Button Show: Buttons, Badges, Ephemera & Posters, 1396 River Rd. (Rte. 29), Union Fire Co.

12/21-24/22, COLUMBUS, HOLIDAYHOURS: W./TH. 8-8; FRI. 10-8; SAT. 8-3,

Indoor/Outdoor Flea Market, Rt. 206 South, Delaware Valley, Columbus, NJ

OHIO 01/28-29/23, COLUMBUS, SAT.-

SUN., Antiques & Designer Items Market, 717 E. 17th Ave., Ohio Expo Center

PENNSYLVANIA 02/03-04/23, YORK, FRI. 10-6 &

SAT. 10-5, York, PA Antiques Show & Sale, 334 Carlisle Ave., York Fairgrounds Conv. & Expo Ctr., Memorial Hall East

02/18-19/23, PITTSBURGH,

SAT. 10-5 & SUN. 10-4, Pittsburgh Antiques Show, 164 Fort Couch Rd., Pittsburgh - Crown Plaza Hotel

12/10/22 TO 04/02/23, BERWYN, EVERYSAT. & SUN., 9AM-4PM THROUGH APR. (CLOSED 12/24-25; OPEN 12/31-1/1),

Indoor/Outdoor Vtg. Flea, 270 W. Swedesford Rd., Berwyn Vintage Flea Market

VIRGINIA

01/07-08/23, CHANTILLY, SAT.

9-6 & SUN. 11-5, The DC BIG FLEA Antiques Market, 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Dulles Expo Center