Top 10 Strangest and Creepiest Snow Globes
There is something quite magical about a snow globe. From the festive delights of a Christmas scene to the nostalgia of a nation monument covered in snow they always bring a smile to the face. But artists Walter Martin and Paloma Munoz thinks that shouldn’t be the case, instead, they have made some very eerie scenes inside a snow globe. Odd they may well be, but also rather amazing…
Top 10 Strangest and Creepiest Snow Globes
BONUS CONTENT: Top 10 Facts About Snow Globes
10 – The BMX Wipeout
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FACT: The very first snow globe patent was granted way back in 1927 to Joseph Garaja of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
9 – Spider Food!
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FACT: In 1929 when Joseph Garaja made his very first snow globes to sell he asked the manufacturers “Novelty Pool Ornaments” to make them open-top because they were to be fish toys and tank decorations
8 – The Duel
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FACT: It wasn’t until 1940 that the first snow globe was used for advertising, and it was for a local ice-cream maker.
7 – Good Wolf Hunting
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FACT: The first snow globe that appeared in a film scene is the one that featured in the opening of the 1941 classic Citizen Kane!
6 – The Remains
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FACT: The first snow globe was, in fact, an exact replica of an early 19th century, French paperweight and nothing more!
5 – The Smack Down
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FACT: Right up to 1879 there were only five companies in the world that were producing snow globes, but strangely they were only selling them throughout Europe!
4 – Tired of Running
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FACT: Way back In 1889 a snow globe containing a model of the newly built Eiffel Tower was produced to mark the centenary of the French Revolution, and it was all commissioned by the French government.
3 – Walk on Horse, Walk on.
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FACT: It is often thought that the first snow globes were made from surgical lamps, apparently these lamps were dust magnets and the floating dust inside of them always reminded people of snow!
2 – The Dark Dance
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FACT: These days snow globes feature music boxes, moving parts, lights, and even electric fans that make micro snow storms inside of themselves.
1 – On the run
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FACT: The very first snow globes were made of a heavy lead glass dome that was filled with iodine water and the worst of all is that inside most of them the snow or “flitter” was made using animal bone flakes!!!
These Snow Globes are weird, and yet really cool. Good post Russell.
Hello, I read your blog regularly. Your top 10 style is awesome, keep up the good work!
They are creepy, but also amazing at the same time! Makes you wonder why anyone would come up with this sort of thing.
That is totally creepy, and I had no idea there were such things! Great post!
Hadn’t heard that before about the bones, but it’s possible. There was a lot of experimentation to find something that would float gently in the liquid/water, without rising to the top or sinking quickly to the bottom of the globe.
I’ve tried eggshells and they do work (it’s a great suggestion for crafty folks making homemade mason jar globes with their children), but of course in the “old days” when people boiled animal bones for soap, etc. they would have had some bones handy too, which I rarely do. We’ve moved on to a high tech metallic dust and crushed glitter (in our globes), so it’s more of a post-apocalypse dust-storm or mysterious iridescent cloud and not pretty white snow falling inside.
What makes the Martin/Munoz pieces so interesting (to me), as well as my own water globes, is the contradiction between the pretty and perfect cliche snow globe we expect, and the darker scenes that can be portrayed. It takes you by surprise.
I did read that as well, but I thought the fact of them being made from bones was more interesting. Not necessary more true, just more interesting.
What a pity! Not ONE of my creepy snow globes made your list (that’s what I do, make snow globes.) Well, maybe next year. 🙂
I do have to dispute one of your “facts” — since neither of us know for sure. I believed that some of the earliest snow globes used crushed egg shells for “snow” … not bones. But since that was back in the 1860s, who really knows?
Thank you. The artist is very talented indeed.
These snow globes are indeed creepy! Although I have to admit that they are unique. Great post!
LOL
It is certainly a “hide from the in-laws” kind of festive gift.
Can’t imagine explaining one of these if I had it in the house and someone asked. “What the heck is this?”
Nuts is a good word to describe them. Weird would be another.
Yes! I did the very same thing. As of why he was hiding, why they were killed. Maybe it is a bloggers inspirational mind!
Indeed they are, but yet somehow still very festive!
Thanks!
Reblogged this on Meet Online and commented:
Thanks!
Ha! These are nuts!
I think I am clicking a qualified Like – there is the creativity and workmanship, but they are creepy and rather unusual for Christmas. The more I look at them, the more I am able to make up a story about each one. #4 is rather interesting – did the person think it would be much too high to climb the tree? However, it is amazing what one can do when one has to. With #1, I wonder who is thinking “This is a fine mess you have gotten me into.” In #7, I wonder if he is thinking “Damn, I should have taken the third pole with me!”.
so horrifyingly creepy )
Thank you Kate, that took me a good 5mins! And I am happy this post went down well with everyone, it could have gone horrible wrong much like the snow globes themselves.
Creepy indeed. But at least it is festive!
..oh yeah! Good spotting. Maybe it was something to do with the models they had to make them with.
I have forgotten to mention that I like your holiday header!
I had no clue that there were scary snow globes!!! And those WERE scary! Well done! I’m also really glad that we have fake snow and plastic and not animal bones inside there anymore!
Creative but spooky!
Definitely unique. I especially like #3. It’s a very formal looking hanging. I found it odd that, in those globes with people in them, the people aren’t dressed appropriately for the weather. All in all a very creepy collection. Thanks for sharing.
Special is certainly one word for them.
These are more special than beautiful.
Irene
Yeah I see your point, but sadly Christmas time is not a happy time for all of us.
The workmanship is amazing, but the themes are so sad. I wonder who would buy one of these.
Good choices. They are amazing in a dark sort of way.
Thank you! They are well worth a look that is for sure.
This is the best thing I’ve seen all day!! 😀
I really like number 6 and number 7.