They also need to know how to differentiate between old and new ornaments. One of the most significant differences is in the weight of the glass.
Older ornaments are normally lightweight and have a very thin wall.
In comparison to early German ornaments, American designs seem plain and unimaginative. Collectors of glass ornaments are generally drawn toward those that were hand-blown by German families. Among the most popular figures with collectors today are those of animals. Bears were popular with the American public during and after the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. Glass birds have always remained popular Christmas ornaments, in part because birds seem natural in trees.