Shiny Brite facts for kids
Shiny Brite was a famous company. It made very popular Christmas tree ornaments. These ornaments were loved across the United States. They were especially popular in the 1940s and 1950s.
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The Story of Shiny Brite Ornaments
Max Eckardt started Shiny Brite ornaments in 1937. He worked with the Corning Glass company. Together, they began to make many glass Christmas ornaments quickly. This is called mass production.
Before 1937, Max Eckardt brought glass balls from Germany. These were made by hand. But he knew a big war was coming. He thought it might stop his supply of ornaments.
Corning Glass usually made light bulbs. They changed their process to make clear glass ornaments. These clear ornaments then went to Eckardt's factories. There, people decorated them by hand. During World War II, people liked that Shiny Brite ornaments were made in America. This was a big selling point.
How to Tell When Ornaments Were Made
You can often guess the age of a Shiny Brite ornament. Just look closely at its hook! The first ornaments had a metal cap and a loop. The hook attached to this loop. You would hang the ornament from this hook.
Wartime Changes to Hooks
During World War II, metal was needed for the war. So, Shiny Brite had to change. They stopped using metal caps. Instead, they used a cardboard tab. People would use yarn or string to hang these ornaments. If you see a cardboard tab, your ornament is from the early 1940s.
New Hooks After the War
After the war, Shiny Brite made a new metal hook. This hook was special. It offered two ways to hang the ornament.
One way was the "short" hanger. The long hook went through the ornament. It came out the bottom. Then it attached to the ornament's foot. This made the ornament hang close to the branch.
You could also unlatch the hook from the bottom. This made the whole hook available. The ornament would then hang further down. This was good for natural trees. It helped fill empty spaces between branches.
The End of the Long Hook
In 1958, artificial Christmas trees became popular. These trees were often made of aluminum. They did not have gaps like natural trees. So, the long hanging hook was not as useful.
Making the long hook was also more expensive. Because people didn't need it as much, Shiny Brite stopped making this feature. This happened in 1960.
Where Shiny Brite Ornaments Were Made
Shiny Brite ornaments were first made in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. They were made there for many years. When the company was at its busiest, it had more factories. These were in New Jersey. You could find factories in Hoboken, Irvington, North Bergen, and West New York. The main office and showroom were in New York City. It was located at 45 East 17th Street.
Shiny Brite Today
Since 2001, the most popular Shiny Brite ornaments have been made again. They are sold under the same trademark. The company Christopher Radko now makes them.
