This brooch is by the Christopher Radko company based in New York in America. It is unusual for Chrisotpher Radko as their primary business is that of Christmas decorations. In 1984 the 14 foot high Radko family Christmas tree came crashing down, smashing over 1,000 vintage glass baubles. Christopher was so upset he set about trying to find replacement baubles for the family tree. This proved easier said than done, in the mid-1980s there was nothing of the quality and beauty of the treasured family decorations. Eventually Christpoher found a Polish glass-blower who had the skill to recreate the family’s vintage decorations. But that was just the beginning, they went on to create a worldwide business producing imaginative and colourful festive ornaments. Christopher Radko has been called the “Czar of the Christmas Present” by The New York Times in 1997 and the “Ornament King” by the Chicago Tribune in 2022. It is estimated that 100,000 new ornaments are sold each year worldwide with new designs being brought out annually. When I was researching my brooch I found on the company website lists of previous designs going back to 2002 and there are a number of active collectors clubs on various social media platforms. Christpher Radko ornaments have decorated the White House, and a number of celebrities have collections including Elton John, Oprah Winfrey, John Travolta, Robert DeNiro and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In the book ‘The Stuff of History’ by Steven Moore from the BBC Antiques Roadshow, an excellent read by the way, on pages 122 to 124 he describes how in 1880 a Bernard Wilmsem persuaded a small shop owner in Philadelphia to stock 144 decorative items for Christmas. Within a day they were sold out and the owner ordered more for the following year. The owner was Frank Winfield Woolworth (Woolworths was on every UK High Street until it closed in 2009) who bought the first box of 144 glass baubles and would go on to sell over 500 million of these baubles by 1939 and the outbreak of WWII.
It is believed that Advent wreaths were first used by Lutherans in Germany in the 16th century, but it is during the 19th century that wreaths were made to hang on the front door. These wreaths were also known as ‘welcome rings’ and would have been made with holly, ivy, pinecones and ribbons. Today there is a plethora of wreaths available and numerous online videos with instructions for DIY versions.
I hope you have enjoyed this year’s selection of Brooches of the Month and look forward to sharing more from my collection with you in 2026.
