The first associations that a person encounters when mentioning the New Year are associated with a Christmas tree and fragile glass decorations on it. These are the most pleasant childhood memories.
Unfortunately, modern Christmas-tree decorations, mainly made in China, made of plastic or foam, have ceased to be fragile. They no longer cause that tremulous feeling when you shake your jewelry on the tree with trembling hands, trying not to break it. But thanks to the work of domestic glass-blowing factories, the popularity of glass toys in Russia is beginning to revive, and their products are becoming more beautiful and interesting.
The history of the advent of glass Christmas decorations
Germany is considered the birthplace of glass Christmas toys. It was here that in the 19th century in the city of Lauscha, the world's first apple-shaped ball was made. The choice was not accidental. For Thuringia, the year 1848 turned out to be barren, and very few apples were harvested. Therefore, local glassblowers decided to make glass fruits, after which they successfully sold them at the fair. Since that time, serial production of toys has been organized for decorating fir trees and houses on the eve of Christmas and New Year.
In the same 1848, the first glass-blowing factory was opened in Russia, where serfs made dishes, bottles and other products. Its location is the Moscow region, the city of Klin. During the war, the plant was almost completely destroyed, but by the beginning of the 50s local forces reached the pre-war level of production.
Glass Christmas tree decorations continue to be produced today at the Fir-tree factory, but already in the neighboring village - Vysokovsk. Not far from the location of the former factory, the only Klinsky Compound museum operates in Russia.
Production technology
At most factories that work today in Russia, toys are made by hand. This process is quite laborious.
The first stage of production begins in the glass-blowing workshop. The starting material for making the toy is glass in the form of thin tubes about 50 centimeters long. Then it is heated to a temperature of 1000 degrees and blown out with the help of a worker’s lungs. The result is a transparent glass toy, which still needs to be cooled before heading to the next stage of production. From one such tube comes 20 round balls or 5-10 icicles or tops per Christmas tree. The maximum size of a balloon that can be blown is 15 centimeters in diameter.
The second stage is silvering. It consists in the fact that a special solution consisting of silver oxide, ammonia and distilled water is injected into each ball. Then the toy is dipped in hot water and shaken, while the silver settles on the walls, and the figure ceases to be transparent. Next, the ball is dyed in one color and dried.
At the third stage, glass Christmas toys are painted by hand. After the drawing is applied, the figure is covered with a special transparent glue and sprinkled with gold dust.
The fourth step is to cut the long “neck” of the ball with a diamond wheel, fasten the fastener and pack the toys. It is in this form that it goes to shops, and then to our homes.
Glass Christmas tree toy production in Russia: famous factories
Today, there are several domestic factories for the manufacture of Christmas decorations. They produce a variety of glass Christmas toys. Russia is rapidly increasing output, providing fragile products to itself and neighboring countries.
The oldest enterprise for the production of Christmas tree decorations is located in the city of Vysokovsk, Moscow Region. Its current name is Fir-tree OJSC.
A production company with a 70-year history is located in the Pavlovo-Posad district (Danilovo village). All glass Christmas toys are made and painted by hand. They can be called truly unique, since the pattern of each figure is repeated no more than 500 times.
Another Christmas tree decoration factory, Ariel, is located in Nizhny Novgorod. This modern enterprise continues the work of the Gorky fishing artel “Children's Toy”, well-known in the USSR, founded in 1936. All products are made according to European quality standards, therefore they are known not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders.
Glass Christmas toys: price per set
Glass toys have never been cheap. Manual labor requires appropriate payment, but you can get a product with a unique pattern and hand-painted. How much can you buy a set of glass Christmas toys?
So, for example, a package of 6 balls and the top costs about 700 rubles. But New Year's sets, consisting of 32 items, will cost 3,500 rubles. Large balls with a diameter of up to 10 centimeters are also on sale. The price of one such toy will cost 250-300 rubles.
Glass Christmas decorations come from childhood. They will never be replaced by toys made of plastic or other artificial materials.