| ca 1950: 
          A jolly Snowman from Paramount, circa 1950. he is one of a series of 
          "working" Snowmen, which also included figures with a shovel, rake and 
          a hay or pitchfork. | 
          
          
               
          
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          | ca 1950: 
          This flocked Santa Glo wall plaque or 
          tree topper was first made by Royal, then later offered by NOMA after 
          the Royal Christmas factory burned in 1955. The plastic used in the 
          early years of manufacture did not stand up well over the years, and 
          older plaques are often found distorted and cracked.  | 
          
          
               
          
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          | ca 1950: 
          Colorful free standing or wall 
          hangable hard plastic lighted figures with flat backs like this were a 
          common NOMA offering during the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s 
          and 60s. This is one of several subjects, others of which included 
          elves, candy canes, holly arrangements, candle groupings, bells and 
          snowmen. The particular example pictured here is circa 1950. | 
          
          
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          | ca 1950: 
          Manufactured by Miller in beginning in the late 1940s, this light was 
          also sold as a simple non-electrical candy container, packed with a 
          cellophane-wrapped bunch of lollypops. There was also a matching Santa 
          on skis available from the same company, available either unlighted or 
          with candy as well.  | 
          
          
               
          
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          | ca 1950: 
          This plaque by the L.A. Goodman company is one of several that the 
          company offered. It is about 22 inches tall. Plaques like these were 
          manufactured using the Vac-U-Form technique, a post World War II 
          manufacturing process using inexpensive plaster moulds. The TICO 
          plastics division of NOMA pioneered this technique. | 
          
          
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          | ca 1950: 
          Miller offered this Vac-U-Form Santa 
          plaque first in the late 1940s. Items like these did not catch on 
          right away, but by the middle of the 50s, were quite popular in homes 
          with children. Many varieties were offered, including Nativity scenes, 
          bells, candy canes, snowmen and the like. The example pictured here 
          does indeed have blue holly leaves instead of the green that one would 
          expect. | 
          
          
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          | ca 1950: 
          Here is a wall plaque by NOMA. Like the Miller example above, this too 
          is Vac-U-Formed plastic with a cardboard backing and a light. 
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          | ca 1950: 
          This is only one of several Santa faces offered in hard plastic by 
          NOMA, the leading manufacturer of Christmas lighting in the world at 
          that time. This particular plaque is most often found with the paint 
          rubbed off of Santa's nose and cheeks from storage over the years, and 
          this example is no exception. It appears that a previous owner has 
          tried to touch up the damage. | 
          
          
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          | ca 1950: 
          Here is the same plaque that was sold a bit later than the plaque 
          pictured above, showing a somewhat "less expensive" paint job. 
          Referred to by collectors as the "sunburned Santa variation" of the 
          plaque, this much less desirable version is also the one most commonly 
          found. The example is shown lit, and showcases Santa's somewhat 
          frightening bright orange-red face. | 
          
          
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          | ca 1950: 
          Here is a Raylite (Paramount) lighted musical church, one of several 
          similar offerings from the company. Other available items included 
          lighted altars and tabernacles. NOMA also offered similar products, 
          although theirs were much more elaborate and expensive. This church 
          plays "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem" on its music box. The windows, 
          when lighted, have a pretty stained-glass like appearance. | 
          
          
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