Monday, September 29, 2008

Gurley Candles - Vintage

Every yr after Thanksgiving when I was a kid I remember begging my mom to let me get the Christmas boxes that were packed FULL of Gurley candles out so I could set them all up. At that time I wasnt too worried about the tree or the other decorations. I just wanted the candles.

I remember the lamp posts, trees, carolers, santas, angels, snowmen, reindeer, I would spend hours setting them up like a little village with the fake snow flakes and my brother who was a baby at the time would come by and knock them over. Oooooh, Ide get SO mad, but would start over, haha!

Over the years the candles got pretty beat up and broken, but before mom passed she told me to go into the boxes and see what was left. There was one Christmas tree, and angel and a bigger santa, she told me to go ahead and grab them before Nick (my brother) got them, ha!

Christmas time brings back so many sweet memories of my mom, from putting up the tree, baking cookies to wrapping presents. Unfortunely mom passed a few short weeks before Christmas, will be 2 yrs this December. I decided I was going to try and collect Gurley candles.

Does anyone collect them? Ide love to see your collection!

In case you dont know what a Gurley candle is, the Gurley company was right here in Buffalo NY and made decorative candles throughout the 50's and 60's and maybe even before that. They are hard to come by unless you get them on ebay but the prices can get outrageous! So when I do come across one or more I snatch them right up.


I only collect Christmas but LOVE the Halloween and Easter ones.











*I borrowed these pictures from ebay as my collection is packed up*
If you have a Gurley collection please let me know!

11 comments:

My Colonial Home said...

What a wonderful collection...I've seen these in antiques shops but didn't know the mfg. name.
Thanks for posting and hope you come up with many, many more.
What a delightful post...it was an awwww moment. Hugs,
Karen

carolyn@simple~primitive~devotion said...

Jenn, WOW! You have an amazing collection! I love the little angel asleep on the moon! How cute!
Did you know that one of our CHK members also collects Gurley candles? Countrykathy! I think she collects the Thanskgiving ones, but not sure if any otehrs. But she has mentioned it before. Do a search on our board and see if you can pull up those old posts about them.

Yankee Ridge Primitives said...

Awww, I WISH that was my collection. I forgot to put that in my post and will go back and revise it. These pics are from ebay, my collection is packed away so I couldnt get pics of it. I didnt know CK had a Gurley collection, Ill have to ask her about it. I just love the snowmen, there are ones that have a tall skinny stove pipe hat that I can not find anywhere but If I could I bet would be really high in price.

Anonymous said...

My mom has got some of those candles!!! I remember as a child, the snowmen and little trees she'd set out at Christmas time.
I think she has some jack-o-lantern one's for Fall too....
Never knew they had a name or were even collectable!
I'll have to give her a call and ask about them......

Bella Della said...

I think we had some of these growing up. Some Santa tapers. I love these. I can't wait to see your collection.

Heidi Ann said...

I love Gurley candles, too! I've never been lucky enough to find them at yard sales, and the antiques shops around here price them too high, but I LOVE the ones I have - some of which were here in the house my husband grew up in. That makes them even more special.

basketsnprims said...

Jenn, I remember seeing these as a young child. I don't have a one but they sure are cute. Good luck with your collection, I hope you can add to it.

Pam

Kimberly said...

Jenn those are wonderful!
I'm not really into halloween, but I love them all!

And in answer to your question... yes the quilt and pillow will be for sale... until the quilt is finished (tonight or tomorrow) I don't have a price set in stone, but it will be somewhere around the $100 mark. If you're interested, I can give measurements and specifics...

Have a great day! I'm looking out at the perfect fall day, not a cloud in the sky, I'm eating chocolate and I'm quilting! What could be better!

Something Nice and Pretty said...

I remember my mom having those sitting on the bookcase in our hallway:) Thanks for the memory!
Rondell

My Colonial Home said...

I think most of us can remember our mothers or grandmothers having these...they were so popular in the 40's and 50's and even into the 60's.
Wow, I'm aging myself...nope...just age itself did it! lol
Karen

Yankee Ridge Primitives said...

OMG Beamer!!!!!!!

I wondered if that was you as soon as I saw the name! I miss ya girl, get yourself a blog:)