Snowbabies

I've always thought little vintage snowbabies were really cute but too expensive to collect. A few years ago we were very excited to find these adorable reproductions. They are available in quite a few styles and can be either an ornament or a sit about.


The First Snow Baby Figurines
Little porcelain figurines like these were usually one to three inches tall and covered with bits of ground white porcelain to give them a snowy look, just like the one shown here.

These little collectibles gained popularity as news of Admiral Peary’s trek to the North Pole traveled around the world in 1909. They were revived again in the late 1920s when adventurer Richard E. Byrd flew over the South Pole.
Moyer also notes that snow babies were called "Alaska Tots" in a Marshall Field’s catalog dated to 1914. These three-quarter inch figures sold for 90 cents a dozen back then. They often bring $50-100 each now, depending on their pose, and they're getting harder and harder to find.