The first water globes are said to have come from France in the early 1800's. Many believe following in the footsteps of the paperweight. The earliest known water globes were made of glass and were part of Victorian upper class lifestyles in the 1870's. Made popular by those who had a love of such eclectic decor. As early as 1879, five manufacturers were shipping them all over Europe.
The "domed" appearing water globes
were actually glass spheres made from leaded glass, filled with water, sealed,
and then placed on top of ceramic or cast iron bases. The "snow" was
bone chips or tiny pieces of porcelain, and even sawdust had been used. These
began making their debut in the 1920's to the US, and soon became a popular
collector's item. Oftentimes they are still called water domes by many.
In the 1940's, many companies used water globes for advertising. They also became popular religious gifts for children. The snow inside sometimes gold glitter or even soap chips. Now days, the glass is thinner, and oftentimes, plastic is used for the globe, while the "snow" is actually small pieces of plastic. The water inside is a mix of water and glycerin. They abound in all shapes and sizes, especially during the holiday season. Plastic domes made their mark in the 1950's.
Water globes now come as subjects from election campaigns to movie icons, vacation spots, to life events. With the advantage of graphics programs, water globes now appear all over the Internet and take any shape, form and subject the creator desires.
Today's water globe ranges from very ornate, musical, or mechanical and lighted, to simple plastic domes. Some even are battery powered so one doesn't have to shake it to see the snow whirl around inside the globe. Then there are the many found on web pages abounding the internet. It really doesn't matter where it came from, be it a tourist stop, the finest store, a graphics program, or a garage sale find...water globes have a magic all their own, wondrously transforming the everyday into a miniscule world of swirling flakes falling, as the wonder of snowfall and winter's hush surround us
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click on picture for more info Lucky Money Frog on Lilly Pad
Waterglobe
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click on picture for more info Mallards in Flight Water Globe
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