Life-Like St Patrick’s Day Clapsaddle Girl on Antique Glass Single Balloon Ornament

6” tall

SPECIAL FEATURES

This ornament is part of a rare set of Irish-themed ornaments that Glenn and I made together in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.   These Celtic-inspired ornaments are dear to our hearts because so many Victorian era subjects signifying good luck - like shamrocks, horseshoes, and harps (“Erin go Brah” Ireland forever) - were ever popular on the tree at Christmastime.

This little girl was illustrated by American artist Ellen Clapsaddle as is an original circa 1900s St. Patrick’s Day postcard. I added a narrow vintage green crepe paper ruffle to her skirt and created a lace petticoat with tiny antique crocheted lace. Glenn decorated an antique single-Balloon by accenting its dark green stripe with Dresden paper trims, vintage silk French ribbon-work, and antique scrap horseshoe with “Good Luck” script. The addition of antique tinsel garland adds to the Victorian feel of this beautiful ornament.

Lovingly handcrafted and signed by Glenn and Gail Giaimo.

JUST IMAGINE, YOU ARE VIEWING AN ORNAMENT MADE WITH MATERIALS BETWEEN 60 AND 150 YEARS OLD!!! Dresden Star Ornaments are almost exclusively made with antique and vintage materials to include: glass ornaments from the 1890s to1950s (most of which were made in Germany); colorful Victorian embossed & die-cut paper “scraps” and chromolithographs from postcards and advertising trade cards (made in Europe between the 1870s and 1910); antique and vintage fabric to include chenille, lace, ribbon and metallic trims; antique and vintage tinsel from tree garlands and old-stock German-made Lametta tinsel; gold and silver old-stock Dresden paper trims, crepe paper, foil, gift wrap, spun-glass, and other embellishments. Since many of our creations contain glass ornaments that are as much as 120 years old, the condition and patina will vary, which this is part of their vintage one-of-a-kind charm and character. Items described as “antique” are dated between the 1870s and 1920. Items described as “vintage” are dated between the 1920s and the 1950s (mid-century). We also use newer Dresden trims (on occasion) and crinkle wire (to wire-wrap ornaments for durability) made more recently in Germany using techniques and equipment that have not changed over the past 150 years.

OUR SIGNATURE STYLE - TO MAKE AN ORNAMENT FOR YOU THAT LASTS FOR GENERATIONS! You will know you have a ultra-custom Dresden Star Work of Art because we sign and date each and every ornament, as well as add our gold hang tag with your specific ornament’s unique one-of-a-kind inventory number on it. You will receive your ornament gently packed between layers of tissue paper in a beautiful embossed gold box with care and handling instructions. With over 15 years of experience, we are expert at wire-wrapping each ornament to help protect it against accidental breakage (just like those smart Victorians). We take extra time and pains to meticulously back every scrap to cardstock and old-stock papers to protect these beautiful and fragile illustrations so they will last for generations to come.