Santa Claus, as we know him today, first appeared in the 1823 Clement C. Moore poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” where he is described as “chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf.” This figure was popularized in 1863 with a series of illustrations by Thomas Nast that appeared in Harper’s Weekly, and permanently etched in our minds with the Haddon Sundblom Coca-Cola Santa which appeared on the back covers of National Geographic and the Saturday Evening Post from 1931-1964.
Today’s collectors fall into two groups: those who watch for Santa figures from the late Victorian era (1880 through the 1920s) and those who collect from the modern era (1930 through the mid-1960s).
Santas from the Victorian era are not what we commonly think of when we envision Old St. Nick. They will be dressed in flowing robes, rather than the “modern” fur trimmed red suit. Robes made of mohair or fur are the most desirable. Older examples will seldom be found in red, but are in the Victorian era colors of purple, brown, white, blue, green, and occasionally in yellow.
Many Santas from this era were handcrafted in German and are referred to as a “Belsnickle,” a German term meaning Father Christmas. Belsnickles are highly sought by collectors who are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for specific mint condition pieces. Tree ornaments made of spun glass, as well as standing figures and candy containers made of papier mâché are good finds.
Santa paper collectibles (ephemera) from this era are growing in popularity. While extremely delicate and hard to obtain in good condition, they make a great addition to any Santa collection. Early lithographed game boxes and Christmas cards, postcards and crepe paper fold outs are all sought by collectors and available in area antique malls and on eBay.
More recognizable to many of us is the Saturday Evening Post Santa from the modern era. He will be dressed in his famous fur trimmed red suit and is found both with glasses and with out. Papier mâché Santa figures, made from the same materials as paper egg cartons of the day, reached the peak of their popularity in the 1930s and 40s. Also popular in these decades were candy containers made of glass and felt, celluloid Santa bulb covers and chalk and cast iron figures.
From the 1950s and 60s come Pez containers, life size and ornament size cardboard cut outs, lighted wreaths featuring Santa, snow globes and tin wind-up toys imported from Japan. Mass-produced blow molds ranging in size from a few inches to several feet are also a good find.
The crossover appeal of advertising Santas make them a popular and wise investment. Among the most highly collected are the works of the Harold Gale Decoration Company of St. Louis and distributed by Noel Decorations of NYC. From his 15-inch free-standing figures to his life-size mechanical window displays made of wood and fiberglass, these are a must-have for any serious collector.
For Christmas 2015 we are seeing a very soft market for collectible Santas, so take a moment to check recent eBay listings where wonderful examples are selling in the $35-$300 range. A word of caution though if you are buying online: Make certain that you have the right to return your purchase as some sellers may overlook tiny flaws and any deterioration decreases value. Until next time….Linda
Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates and may be reached at 317-258-7835 or lkennett@indy.rr.com.
