The world's biggest collection of vintage Russian Christmas and New Year tree ornaments and decorations belongs to the American expert and collector Kim Balaschak, counting over 2500 exhibits that date from the early 1900s to the late 1960s. In her interview with Suite 101, Kim Balaschak speaks about her love for vintage Russian tree decorations and how they reflect the history of Russia.
"Collecting Old Christmas Toys was the Only Way to Decorate a Tree..."
When in 1995 Kim Balaschak and her husband Jim arrived in Russia at the height of post-Soviet shortages and empty shops, buying old Christmas toys at flea markets seemed like the only way to decorate the tree.
"Back in 1995, in mid-December, there were no decorations, or lights anywhere, so it didn’t even seem like the holiday season as we had known it," she remembers. "Naturally, I was unaware that Christmas was not celebrated in Russia and that New Year was the holiday for which the tree was decorated."
Starting the World's Biggest Collection of Vintage Russian Christmas Tree Decorations
Her first piece was a 1936 cotton Puss 'n Boots -- a Soviet-time figurine that Balaschak had seen in an issue of Colonial Homes. It took her three years of rummaging through Moscow's Ismailovo flea market to lay her hands on one in 1998.
"After that, I went to Izmailovo flea market with an eye towards adding a few of these ornaments to our own holiday celebration. Well, I just couldn’t stop adding this and that one. You see, I didn’t grow up with these types of ornaments (we had single-color trees for a very long time….)."
Passion for Collecting: From Flea Markets to Exhibition Halls
Her years in Russia (the family left the country in 2008) shaped Kim Balaschak as a leading expert on the subject. "My entire experience of living in Russia is tied in with my collecting tree toys. Collecting became a ritual, an integral part of my life. From mid-November – mid-January, every Saturday morning, with a flashlight, I left our apartment and took the Metro to Izmailovsky Park, then walked down the long promenade along the Izmailovo Hotel to the entrance to the Vernisage.
"Every week, I had several vendors that I needed to visit as they had promised to bring me some tree toys. I think I amused them with my interest in tree toys and my funny Russian. I would not have been able to amass my collection without Russian language skills. My advice to all Westerners who may have the chance to live abroad in a country where English is not the spoken language – learn the language of your hosts! My life was enriched by my ability to interact with Russians in Russia in Russian!"
"Tree Decorations Reflect People's Values and Traditions"
When Kim Balaschak lays out her collection - the most fragile specimens safely locked in display cases - one can trace the entire history of Russia and its values in figurines of angels and political leaders, cute animals and frontier guards, folk-tale characters and circus acts.
"What people put on their trees speaks volumes of their values, resources, traditions," she admits. "Tree toys, to me, are all about that which was positive in the Soviet Union. A turbulent history is softened when interpreted through the symbology of tree toys. Childhood was a happy time and New Year was one of the happiest times of the year."
Kim Balaschak's collection is currently on show in New York as part of the SKAZKI- Russian Fairy Tales, Ornaments & Postcards exhibition organized by Hermitage Museum Foundation.
Additional Reading:
Ghosts of Holidays Past: A History of Russian Holiday Ornaments The School of Russian and Asian Studies (last accessed Dec 11, 2010)
Collecting Antique and Vintage Christmas Tree Decorations: Interview with Kim Balaschak Russian Research for Writers, Dec 13, 2010 (last accessed Dec 13, 2010)
The illustrations to this article were taken at Mrs. Balaschak's exhibition in Khimki, Moscow during the festive season of 2005/2006. The author expresses her sincere gratitude to Mrs. Balaschak and the photographer, HitMan.
Irene Woodhead - Irene Woodhead is a bilingual English/Russian freelance writer and translator. After years of working as a professional opera/jazz singer, ...
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