Buying vintage beaded Christmas ornaments on Ebay can be a bit intimidating if you have never bought any before. You see some auctions where only one ornament is selling for upwards of $30 and some with as many as ten ornaments that don't sell at all. What causes this and how do I know I am getting my moneys worth? (Also for sellers- how to know what will sell and market it correctly).

Well, knowing who manufactured the item helps a great deal. Beaded/sequined christmas ornaments started out as a kit and were handmade. There are some that were handmade without the use of kits and are more unique. A quick study of ornaments listed on Ebay by doing a search for "beaded ornament" will pull up many auction listings. Look at what the sellers are offering. Do some styles repeat among different sellers? Does it look like a simplified design? (A simple design can have alot of bead work- but the pattern itself is one that can be figured out by merely looking at the picture, as many kit manufacturers didn't provide alot of instructions- they relied more on the picture to speak for itself). What type of beads/thread/ or cording is used at the top of the ornament? The better the hanger at the top- the better the quaility of the ornament.

The manufacturers for these ornaments were mainly Leewards and Walco. Holiday Products also made some (their label simply said Holiday). But don't let the manufactuer fool you- you can see an original unopened kit selling one day under the Leewards label and expect to see the exact same ornament sold by someone else under a Walco or Holiday label. Why? Because all these companies did what is known as "private labeling". Meaning they bought the kits from the SAME manufactuer, used the exact same kits but had the label list them as the manufacturer. You see this all the time today- lWalmart doesn't really have the facilities to make soda, medicine, and frozen foods (their Sam's Brand and Great Value brands)- someone else makes it for them and puts their name on the label. That same manuf. may also be making the brand name items for the local grocery store.

Original and expensive manufacturers are June Zimonick Studio and The Cracker Box. Both have been around since the 70's and The Cracker Box is still selling theirs today and their kits have risen in price. A Kit in the 70's may have set you back $6.95 but today that kit would cost you about $35. These kits, and the finished ornaments made from them, are highly prized and if you have one- advertise it as such. People are willing to pay more for these, especially if it is a retired design. To find out what type of ornaments The Cracker box sells you can visit Cracker Box dot com and pay close attention to the details you see on their ornaments. The ribbons used at the top almost always have sequins and beads on them and the hanger blends into the ornament so it looks like one piece and not an afterthought as is other lesser quality kits. You can contact them and ask them if the ornament is one of theirs designs- Paul & Walter are really nice to work with! June Z. Studios quality is comparable to Cracker Box but June Z. also had more ornament designs with a free spirit to them. She would often use metal findings and do things that were out of the "norm" for ornament design. I like to think of her designs as more artsy. Both of these manufacturers would advertise in the magazine "Decorating Crafts & Ideas" in the 70's so if you can find one of those magazines at a flea market, estate sale or thrift store, it is well worth a peak inside. (The ads normally appeared toward the back of the magazine.)

Now having said all that... What really makes the difference in the items? Leewards/Walco/Holiday kits were selling for only a few dollars when they were mass produced on a large scale. They used mainly foam shapes that had beads and sequins applied to them. A few kits included the satin ball ornaments but they didn't have as many designs of that type. June Z. Studios and The Cracker Box focused on satin ball ornaments with more dazzle and WOW factor.

Today there are only two companies that still mass produce the foam shape kits- Holiday Time Products and Sulyn Products. Wal-mart used to sell both but for what ever reason they stopped carrying them. That doesn't mean they are gone or retired. They are still around by the very few craft stores out there that still stock them. Their kits are somewhere around $9 and usually the kits will make 2-3 ornaments.

Now, the different styles offered by Sulyn and Holiday Time are not as many as was produced in the 70's. Making the kits that were produced then very desirable to those who collect these ornaments.

Examples of June Zimonick Ornaments:

Some ornament kits are a dime a dozen. These pictures are an example of ones that have been seen quite a bit on Ebay (They are from my personal collection):

There are those that are hardly ever seen for sale:

And then there are those that are currently being sold in those rare craft stores that still carry these kits:

I hope this guide has helped to understand a little more about the differences in what is being offered for sale- and how to spot a real "gem" that should not be passed up. If you like the ornament- bid on it! And you will never go wrong. And for those daring few like me, make your own kits!

Pattie Everett, Owner, JT Everett Design Studio