For several weeks, second-hand dealers have come across more and more bargain hunters determined to comb through their stands. The intended object? A piece made almost a century ago.
During this holiday season, many are looking for decorative items that have stood the test of time, bearing a visible trace of their manufacture or use. Social networks have also contributed to this resurgence by multiplying the stagings mixing retro pieces and contemporary elements. An aesthetic that appeals to both recycling enthusiasts and lovers of carefully composed interiors.
Among the most coveted objects, we find period electric garlands, recognizable by their colored flame-shaped bulbs. The hand-painted baubles from the 50s are also eye-catching. Even pressed cardboard subjects, long shunned because they deteriorate quickly, return in certain collections, often to complete a set of older ornaments. These decorations had already started to rise in value, but the trend remained measured. Today, what is circulating in specialized groups is of another magnitude, a more fragile and even rarer piece.
The enthusiasm grew from September, when several decoration accounts shared photos of old sets that had been restored or simply well preserved. The comments then quickly revolved around the same theme: the lack of supply, the difficulty in finding authentic models and the rapid rise in prices. Collectors therefore exchanged technical information, compared shapes, colors, and years of manufacture. Many look for pieces produced in limited series in European workshops from the beginning of the 20th century. Connoisseurs insist on the importance of three criteria: the date of manufacture, the general condition and the original colors, which make it possible to distinguish an authentic copy from a sometimes recent reissue.
The phenomenon is simple: very few models have survived the decades without damage. Some were made of materials sensitive to temperature variations, others broke easily. There therefore remains a limited quantity of truly old copies. To recognize them, collectors check for the presence of old handles, period hanging threads or original packaging. In addition, certain colors, such as patinated silver or pearly shades, have become benchmarks for identifying this vintage manufacturing. We’re talking about Christmas bells from the 1930s here.
These are made of blown glass or enameled metal. The most sought-after pieces regularly exceed 200 euros when intact. A price that deserves to be searched in every nook and cranny of the attic.
