Preliminary identification
Photo reference
2 uploaded photos
Overview
This is a vintage blown-glass holiday bauble featuring classic 19th-century lithograph scenes by Currier & Ives, including 'Christmas Snow' and 'The Sleigh Race'. Decaled onto an ivory/satin glass sphere, it captures the cozy, nostalgic aesthetic popularized during the mid-to-late 20th-century Americana revival.
Story
Long before color photography, Currier & Ives defined how Americans visualized Christmas. In the late 20th century, their 1800s snowy prints were reborn on glass ornaments to spark holiday nostalgia.
Maker / Origin
While Currier & Ives created the original hand-colored lithographs between 1834 and 1907, major 20th-century decorative glassmakers (such as Corning Glass Works or Bradford) licensed these iconic prints for holiday ornaments, tableware, and collectibles.
Condition & Value
Appears to be in very good vintage condition with intact imagery, minimal surface scratching or decal loss, and a secure metal cap. Excellent preservation keeps it at the higher end of individual bauble value.
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Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
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Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.