Precisely
when
the
first
snow
globe,
also
called
a
water
globe
or
snow
dome,
was
made
remains
unclear,
but
they
appear
to
date
from
France
during
the
early
1800s.
They
may
have
appeared
as a
successor
to
the
glass
paperweight,
which
became
popular
a
few
years
earlier.
Snow
globes
appeared
at
the
Paris
Universal
Expo
in
1878,
and
by
1879,
at
least
five
companies
were
producing
snow
globes
and
selling
them
throughout
Europe.
In
1889,
a
snow
globe
containing
a
model
of
the
newly
built
Eiffel
Towerwas
produced
to
commemorate
the
International
Exposition
in
Paris,
which
marked
the
centenary
of
the
French
Revolution.
This
globe
quickly
became
a
favorite
souvenir
for
attendees.
Snow
globes
became
popular
in
England
during
the
Victorian
era
and,
in
the
early
1920s,
crossed
the
Atlantic
to
the
United
States
of
America
where
they
became
a
popular
collectors
item.
Many
of
these
globes
were
produced
by
Atlas
Crystal
Works,
which
had
factories
in
Germany
and
America.
In
the
United
States,
the
first
snow
globe-related
patent
was
granted
in
1927
to
Joseph
Garaja
of
Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania.
In
1929,
Garaja
convinced
Novelty
Pool
Ornaments
to
manufacture
a
fish
version
underwater.
In
America,
during
the
1940s,
snow
globes
were
often
used
for
advertising.
In
Europe,
during
the
1940s
and
1950s,
religious
snow
globes
were
common
gifts
for
Catholic
children.
Snow
globes
have
appeared
in a
number
of
film
scenes,
the
most
famous
of
which
is
the
opening
of
the
1941
classic
Citizen
Kane.
In
the
1950s
the
globes,
which
were
previously
of
glass
construction,
became
available
in
plastic.
Currently,
there
are
many
different
types
of
snow
globes
available.
These
globes
are
produced
by a
number
of
countries
and
range
from
the
mass
produced
versions
of
Hong
Kong
and
China
to
the
finely
crafted
types
still
produced
in
West
Germany.
Snow
globes
feature
diverse
scenes,
ranging
from
the
typical
holiday
souvenirs
to
more
eclectic
collectibles
featuring
Christmas
scenes,
Disney
characters,
popular
icons,
animals,
military
figures,
historical
scenes,
etc.
Snow
globes
have
even
been
used
for
election
campaigns.
