Vintage Christmas Ornaments: Bells

Decorating Your Vintage Christmas Tree

If you would like to create a vintage look in your home this Christmas, the best way to start is by decorating your Christmas tree with a full blown vintage look, using authentic vintage Christmas lights and vintage Christmas ornaments.

This article is one of a group of articles showing you what vintage Christmas decorations are available to decorate your home in a vintage Christmas style this year.

Christmas bells are one of the most familiar symbols of the Christmas holiday, and they are traditional symbols. Therefore, there are many versions of vintage and antique Christmas bell ornaments available.

Depending on what types of vintage or antique Christmas ornaments you are looking for, I have listed several vintage Christmas bells made of different materials.

Authentic Vintage Beaded Christmas Bells

When I searched for vintage and antique Christmas bell ornaments for this article, I was very impressed by the intricate beaded Christmas bell ornaments I found. Many of the beaded Christmas ornaments are handmade, and have been very well preserved, making them true collectibles.

The majority of the beaded bell ornaments are made with crystal or glass beads to enhance the sparkle and shine of the Christmas ornament. These bells come in all sizes, and can be purchased as single ornaments or in sets or groupings.

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Vintage Bell Ornaments on Amazon

Hallmark Angel Bells Collection Carole Keepsake Ornament 2 Vintage Christmas Ceramic Miniature Bells M.J. Hummel 1991 (Pack of 4) Kissing Angels Bell Christmas Ornaments Bethany Lowe Americana Red Bugle Garland & Bell Ornaments Set Lladro 1995 Christmas Bell

Vintage Shiny Brite Christmas Ornaments

Shiny Brite, an American maker of Christmas ornaments since the 1940’s, had a full line of ornaments that are very collectible, made during the Great Depression. Shiny Brite ornaments included Christmas bells which were made from Corning glass that was lacquered and hand painted. During World War II, materials to make some of the ornament designs were restricted, and Corning and Shiny Brite had to change some of the designs in order to use less metal oxide pigment.

The name Shiny Brite, came from the silvering of the inside of the ornaments to make them shiny brighter.

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Vintage and Antique Glass Christmas Ornaments Bells

Many of the antique Christmas ornaments that were made in Europe, especially Germany, were made from handmade or hand blown glass. Other materials did not come into fashion until much later, when they were more readily available and less expensive than the European glass.

Antique and vintage Christmas bell ornaments made from glass have held up well through the years because glass does not tarnish or rust, and is easy to clean. The knowledge and skill to create beautifully colored glass is one that comes from generations of glass blowers, so that the vintage Christmas glass bells are truly beautiful, and do a spectacular job of reflecting the lights on a Christmas tree.

Vintage Glass Bell Christmas Ornaments

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Vintage Porcelain Christmas Bell Ornaments

Porcelain is one of the more fragile materials that Christmas ornaments have been made of, so if you can find antique or vintage Christmas ornaments made from porcelain, scoop them up quickly. Porcelain has the unique quality of being able to be painted, and most of the vintage ornaments were painted by hand, making each ornament a one of a kind item.

Porcelain Christmas bell ornaments are often figurines of Santa Claus or other Christmas characters as well as being bells. Or they also may be painted with Christmas scenes.

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Vintage Glitter Bell Christmas Ornaments

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Vintage Metal Christmas Ornaments Bells

If you want your Christmas bell ornaments to really chime, then metal ornaments are the best to buy. Look for vintage metal Christmas bells that are made to be musical. Then the bells will chime a specific note or series of notes if they are in a group. This sound will be very pleasing to your ears during the Christmas season.

Metal Christmas bell ornaments can also be just for decoration, not for sound, and if so they will not have a clapper inside them to make the bell ring.

Whatever type of vintage Christmas ornament you are looking for to decorate your vintage Christmas tree, Ebay is the best place to look. Ebay sellers have many beautiful vintage and antique collectible Christmas ornaments that can be part of your family’s Christmas holiday traditions.