How to Collect Snow Globes

The very first snow domes (or globes, snow shakers, waterdomes, waterballs or blizzard-weights) appeared in the mid-1800s. Originally used as paperweights, these glass balls contained snow (flitter) made of porcelain and china chips, bone fragments, ground rice, metal flakes or a mineral called meerschaum. Today, most are made of plastic inside and out. Early snow globes were filled with water. Later, the liquid was changed to light oil, then water and with antifreeze (glycerin or glycol). An added benefit was that glycerin and glycol slowed the descent of the flitter.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Display Cases
• Display Shelves And Stands
• Feather Dusters
• Snow Globes
• Display cases

1. Decide whether your collection will be for your personal enjoyment or profit - or both.

2. Choose snow globes with a theme such as Christmas, famous buildings or kitsch.

3. Make sure you have a good place to display your globes away from direct sunlight.

4. Find globes at truck stops, online auctions, theme parks, gift shops near famous sites, airports and antique stores.

5. Most globes are mass-produced, but you can find ones with figures inside that are hand-painted. These vary in quality and attractiveness - compare various "identical" globes.

6. Globes come in an assortment of shapes: perfect spheres, domes, eggs, bottles, cubes, pyramids and a variety of other forms. Globes that aren't globes are called figurals.

7. Look for globes made of glass with ceramic, wood or bakelite bases. These are more valuable than the plastic ones.

8. Keep an eye out for "premium" globes, which are used to advertise a product. These are typically available for a short time and are limited in quantity.

9. Learn the different manufacturers and styles from various countries. For instance, 19th century globes from France are mounted on thin porcelain or marble bases. These are very valuable if found in good shape. Hong Kong globes are very different from West German ones.

10. Be aware that the liquid in most snow globes will evaporate eventually. Sometimes it will change color as well, and the flitter may clump and settle. However, refilling or otherwise refurbishing it may reduce its future value.

Tips & Warnings

• A broken snow globe is very difficult - and sometimes impossible - to fix. Be sure you store your globes on a stable shelf.

• Keep your boxes! Mint-in-box (MIB) items are always more valuable to collectors.

• Subscribe to "Snow Biz," a $10-per-year newsletter for snow globe collectors. Write to Nancy McMichael, PO Box 53262, Washington, D.C. 20009.

• Direct sunlight is dangerous. Not only can it fade the colors in your globe, it may act as it does with a magnifying glass, starting a fire.

• Globes can freeze. Keep the temperature in mind when shipping or storing them.

• Don't leave your snow globe in your car. Heat and cold can cause damage to the glass from boiling or freezing liquid.