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LISTING IS FOR ONE (1) ONLY:
Rare Post-WWII Occupied Okinawa, Japan Ryukyu Art Glass Holiday Ornaments (c. 1945–1950s). Sold to the occupying soldiers to decorate barracks during the holidays, or as souvenirs to bring home. NOW sold to
Mid-Century Modern (MCM) decorators, vintage Christmas enthusiasts, and occupation-era military collectors.
These were hand-blown by resilient Okinawan artisans immediately following the devastation of World War II. Facing a complete lack of raw industrial resources, local glass-makers gathered discarded blue medicine (Milk of Magnesia and poison), soda, Sake, and commercial bottles left behind by occupying U.S. military forces.
They melted the bottles down in crude kilns to create vibrant souvenirs for returning GIs. These pieces feature the signature thick glass walls, hand-formed irregularities, and a raw double scrap-wire stem embedded directly into the glass. These were often sold in large sets to the GI’s.
I purchased 20+ of these (over 25 years ago) from a WWII veteran who brought back a collection of these identical blue holiday spheres. [They were originally thought to be bomb relics from Hiroshima (either his or my error).] Instead, they are gorgeous, authentic pieces of Japanese post-war recovery history for collectors of the “Okinawa Christmas Market.”
NB: Being hand made, no two are identical, but they are all in good condition. These ‘round’ to ‘oval’ BLUE blobs are about 1” to 2” in size, and the wire is about 4” to 6” in length.
SEE QUANTITY PRICING. Shipping can be consolidated and revised.
