The antique aluminum Christmas trees sought after by collectors today were introduced in 1959 by Christmas tree manufacturers, Aluminum Specialty Company. Aluminum Christmas trees were quickly introduced by a variety of other companies soon after their debut, and they became a staple of the modern American home during Yuletide throughout the 1960s and well into the 1960s. seventy.
Aluminum Christmas trees have been characterized by a sophisticated design, look and feel. In fact, when the trees were released, many observers and the manufacturer itself called them the “space age Christmas trees.” The silver color and the unique structure and appearance made the aluminum trees different and more attractive to many people.
Antique aluminum Christmas trees are most commonly found in silver, but other colors are available as well. If you take a look at some auctions, you will find that pink trees command the highest prices due to their rarity. In addition to pink and silver, the trees can be found in green, blue (beautiful!), and red as well.
Caring for your aluminum Christmas tree
If you decide to purchase a vintage tree, there are a few things to keep in mind to protect both your home and the tree. Just remember that the branches on your tree are probably at least 30 years old or older. You will not be able to attach heavy decorations to them without breaking the tinsel. Also, they were never designed to be hung with lights and doing so now could be dangerous.
When you buy your tree, you should try to get a spinning color wheel to go with it. The color wheel is made up of a spotlight that has three or four different colored lenses, and as the lights reflect off the aluminum branches, the tree will appear to change color as the light rotates. Don’t worry, though, if you can’t find a color wheel at a price you’re willing to pay. Any halogen spotlight directed at the tree will have a nice glowing effect. You can pick up a bulb at your hardware store and get a few bulbs in different colors for variety.
If you’re just buying an aluminum Christmas tree from an online auction, a couple of things to make sure is that all the branches are intact. While the “branches” are usually made of steel rods and therefore strong for a lifetime, the strips of aluminum foil that make up the “needles” of the tree are no thicker than paper, so they are quite brittle. You’ll want to make sure the auctions have good photos showing the tree after mounting. Also, ideally, the tree you buy should have the paper wrappers that protect each branch when the tree is taken down.
Once you’ve delivered your tree, carefully remove the branches from their wrappers and inspect for damage or breakage, then place the wrappers in a safe place so you can re-sleeve your branches when Christmas is over. Take your time assembling the tree and be careful not to force the branches into the grooves in the tree trunk. Many of them are made of wood and if you dig into it, you may end up with a hole that is too loose to hold the branch. So push gently. If the branch won’t go in, try it in a different hole.
If you choose to decorate your tree with ornaments, use lightweight wired decorations rather than strung garlands, which can damage the tinsel. And be sure to keep your tree indoors. It won’t survive a visit to your front lawn. It probably won’t survive a tree-climbing cat either, so if you have cats who love to climb, I’d wait until they’re older before putting your precious aluminum Christmas tree anywhere they can reach it.
Once the holidays are over, carefully remove any ornaments you’ve added to the tree, and then remove each branch and return it to its paper wrapper. Store the box in a safe place and make sure nothing else is placed on top. If you take care of it, there’s no reason your antique aluminum Christmas tree shouldn’t last another 30 years.