Gurley figural holiday candles are one of my favorite little things to find while thrifting. I haven't managed to find many but I love the ones I have managed to turn up. (check out today's Gurley haul from the
Thrifter Sisters!) Two of my most prized specimens are the little boy and girl pilgrims that I have displayed right now on my blue dresser.
This photo is from 2011 but you can see them up there in the right hand corner. Here's a close-up:
So imagine my surprise when I found these at a local gift shop this weekend:
Wait a second! The colors are slightly different, but otherwise they look exactly like my vintage Gurley pilgrims! I've never been lucky enough to find any Gurley Indians, but I'm guessing that they look an awful lot like this pair.
And then at yet another store, I found these:
I'm pretty sure in my Christmas junk I have a couple of Gurley Santas just like this one. And there were these, too:
Now I
know I have a whole bunch of Gurley choirboys that look just like this!
So it would appear to me that this Two's Company has purchased the original Gurley molds and is making reproductions or something. Strangely, nothing on the box said anything about them being reproductions of vintage candle designs. The Pilgrims & Indians were priced at $10 for the set and the Christmas candles were $16 at a different store. It makes me wonder if they had any Halloween versions? Have you seen these? What do you think?
I know the Vermont Country Store has been selling Gurley repros for a couple years. Too bad the prices aren't closer to the originals! I have a bunch of Gurleys that belonged to my grandmother. They are so fun-- nothing smells like Xmas to me than opening the candle box!
ReplyDeleteThe repro Santa candles that I have seen are terrible! The boxes are super cute and vintage looking, but the colors on the candles look like toddlers did them! Yikes! Those repros you show are much better than what I've seen.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm kind of a purist (surprise, surprise) - my big concern is these are going to be landing on eBay and in antique malls as originals when they're not. They look cute in the photos - I wonder if you can tell when they're side by side with the originals.
ReplyDeleteI saw the Santa and his wife at a local mall the other day. They were cute, but Mrs. Claus looked much younger than I imagined. I have seen a vintage Santa like the one you have pictured, but never a vintage Ms. Claus like that. I did not see any Halloween in this line...
ReplyDeleteI still like the old ones better
I'm with Barbara and Laurie - vintage is best. But, those new ones are cute. I went to Hobby Lobby the other day and couldn't believe all the NEW things that look vintage - Christmas decor, fall decor, housewares, etc. It's new and painted to look old, but it's new. And, it costs more than the old stuff!
ReplyDelete*On a completely different note: I had a dream last night - I was finally going to meet you! We were going to meet up at a craft show that you were helping with. I was at the end of one aisle, and you stepped around the other end of the aisle and we saw each other, but we couldn't get to each other. I went up another aisle to get to you, but you went the other way and we never met up. (Oh yes, did I mention you were wearing a white dress like they wore on Little House on the Prairie and you were HUGELY pregnant. :D ) When I couldn't find you, I asked at the desk where you were and they told me that you had to go pick up the Gluten-free glazed donuts. I think my Tryptophan might be playing with my mind! Save me a donut!
I got a Twos Company Halloween set from my mom this year. The set contains a ghost, witch, and owl. Super cute!
ReplyDelete