Clara Johnson Scroggins

Last updated
Clara Johnson Scroggins
Born(1931-01-01)January 1, 1931
Arkansas, United States
DiedDecember 19, 2019(2019-12-19) (aged 88)
Florida, United States
Occupations
  • Author
  • collector
  • fashion model
  • broadcast journalist
[1]
Spouse(s)Edwin Redfern
(m. 1969; d. 1972)
Joe Scroggins, Jr.
(m. 1974;died 2008)

Clara Johnson Scroggins was a collector and author on the subject of Christmas ornaments, and was considered an expert in the field as well. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Biography

Scroggins started collecting ornaments in 1972 following the unexpected and sudden death of her then-husband from a cerebral hemorrhage a few weeks before Christmas. She recounted that she "needed something to really consume me, to help me." In a jewelry store she purchased a second edition Reed and Barton silver Christmas cross and started researching how to obtain a first edition one. By the following year, Scroggins's had collected nearly 1,000 silver and silverplated ornaments from past years and editions. [5] Through meetings with secondary market dealers and other collectors, she learned about ornament values and eventually documented ornament history. [6]

Scroggins's collection grew to 40,000 Christmas ornaments, from manufacturers such as Hallmark Cards, American Greetings, Bacarrat, Cartier, Enesco, Gucci, Lenox, Orrefors, Pfaltzgraff, Precious Moments, Rosenthal, Royal Doulton, Tiffany, Waterford, Wedgwood and materials including German keugel or blown-glass, porcelain, pewter, tin, paper, and crystal. [7] [8] [9] [10] Many ornaments in the collection are from Europe, particularly Germany. [11] By 1994, Scroggins's ornament collection numbered 250,000 pieces. [12]

Scroggins was the author of a number of books about Christmas ornament collecting, values and history. She focused her writing on ornaments from Hallmark Cards because they were the most popular at the time. [13]

In 1973, Hallmark Cards started manufacturing Christmas ornaments. The first collection of 18 ornaments, including six glass ball ornaments. [14] Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments are dated and available for just one year. In 1996, the ornament industry generated $2.4 billion in total annual sales, an increase of 25% over the previous year. Industry experts estimated more than 22 million US households collected Christmas ornaments, and that 75% of those households collected Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments. [15] By 1998, 11 million American households collected Hallmark ornaments, and 250,000 people were members of the Keepsake Ornament Collector's Club. [16] There were as many as 400 local Keepsake Ornament Collector's Club chapters in the US. [17]

Scroggins was instrumental in influencing Hallmark Cards to introduce African American-themed ornaments, including its first Black Christmas ornament, "Cheerful Santa" in 1992. [18] She also wrote an ornament column for Collector's Mart - The Magazine of Art Collectibles. [19] [20]

Publications

Books by Clara Johnson Scroggins
TitlePublishedPublisherOCLCNotes
Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments: A Collector's Guide, 1994-19981998Meredith Integrated Marketing, Des Moines, IA OCLC   40227648 25th Anniversary of Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments, 192 pages.
Silver Christmas Ornaments: A Collector' Guide1980A.S. Barnes, San Diego, CA OCLC   5029287 24 silver collections highlighted, including Reed and Barton, The Franklin Mint, Lunt Silversmiths, and The Smithsonian Collection made by Stieff, 197 pages.
Collector's Value Guide Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments: Secondary Market Price Guide & Collector Handbook 1999CheckerBee Pub, Middletown, CT OCLC   797142383 Jeff Mahony, Managing Editor, foreword by Scroggins. 367 pages.
Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments: A Collector's Guide : 1973-1993 the First Twenty Years1998Hallmark Cards, Inc., Kansas City, MO OCLC   40554873 20th Anniversary of Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments, 480 pages.
Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments: A Collector's Guide 1991Hallmark Cards, Inc., Kansas City, MO OCLC   24465598 Features Hallmark ornaments from 1973 to 1991, 361 pages.
Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments: Also Featuring Merry Miniatures, Kiddie Car Classics 1998Collectors' Pub. Co., Meriden, CT OCLC   973163769 Jeff Mahony, Managing Editor, foreword by Scroggins. 349 pages.
Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments: A Collector's Guide. 4th Edition 1989Hallmark Cards, Inc., Kansas City, MO OCLC   29478341 281 pages.
Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments: A Collector's Guide. 2nd Edition 1985Wallace-Homestead Book Co., Des Moines, Iowa OCLC   990756251 Featuring ornaments from 1973 to 1985, 158 pages.
Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments: A Collector's Guide. 3rd Edition 1987Hallmark Cards, Inc., Kansas City, MO OCLC   17341277 207 pages.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philately</span> Study of stamps and postal history and other related items

Philately is the study of postage stamps and postal history. It also refers to the collection and appreciation of stamps and other philatelic products. While closely associated with stamp collecting and the study of postage, it is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps. For instance, the stamps being studied may be very rare or reside only in museums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postcard</span> Type of postal stationery

A postcard or post card is a piece of thick paper or thin cardboard, typically rectangular, intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Non-rectangular shapes may also be used but are rare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christmas card</span> A major type of greeting cards

A Christmas card is a greeting card sent as part of the traditional celebration of Christmas in order to convey between people a range of sentiments related to Christmastide and the holiday season. Christmas cards are usually exchanged during the weeks preceding Christmas Day by many people in Western society and in Asia. The traditional greeting reads "wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year". There are innumerable variations on this greeting, many cards expressing more religious sentiment, or containing a poem, prayer, Christmas song lyrics or Biblical verse; others focus on the general holiday season with an all-inclusive "Season's greetings". The first modern Christmas card was by John Calcott Horsley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lacey Chabert</span> American actress (born 1982)

Lacey Nicole Chabert is an American actress. One of her first roles was playing Bianca Montgomery, the daughter of Erica Kane, on All My Children, from 1992 until 1993. She then gained further prominence as a child actress for her role as Claudia Salinger in the Fox television drama Party of Five (1994–2000).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teryl Rothery</span> Canadian actress

Teryl Rothery is a Canadian actress of stage, television, and film. She is best known for portraying Dr. Janet Fraiser in the TV series Stargate SG-1. She co-starred as Grace Sherman in Cedar Cove, and has had major roles as Muriel in Virgin River, Jean Loring in Arrow and Celia Hudson in Nancy Drew. She has been involved in a number of television movies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greeting card</span> Piece of card with a picture and a message

A greeting card is a piece of card stock, usually with an illustration or photo, made of high quality paper featuring an expression of friendship or other sentiment. Although greeting cards are usually given on special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas or other holidays, such as Halloween, they are also sent to convey thanks or express other feelings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christmas ornament</span> Decoration typically placed on a Christmas tree

Christmas ornaments, baubles, globes, "Christmas bulbs", or "Christmas bubbles" are decoration items, usually to decorate Christmas trees. These decorations may be woven, blown, molded, carved from wood or expanded polystyrene, or made by other techniques.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christmas in July</span> Second Christmas celebration

Christmas in July, also known as Christmas in Summer or Christmas in Winter, is a second Christmas celebration held on 25 July that falls outside the traditional period of Christmastide. It is centered on Christmas-themed activities and entertainment, including small gatherings, seasonal entertainment, and shopping. July Christmas celebrations typically accommodate for those living in the Southern Hemisphere, in which they undergo their annual winter, although the main goal of Christmas in July is getting the public in the "Christmas spirit" during the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Holly and the Ivy</span> Traditional British folk Christmas carol

"The Holly and the Ivy" is a traditional British folk Christmas carol, listed as number 514 in the Roud Folk Song Index. The song can be traced only as far as the early nineteenth century, but the lyrics reflect an association between holly and Christmas dating at least as far as medieval times. The lyrics and melody varied significantly in traditional communities, but the song has since become standardised. The version which is now popular was collected in 1909 by the English folk song collector Cecil Sharp in the market town of Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire, England, from a woman named Mary Clayton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Refrigerator magnet</span> Small magnet used to post items on a refrigerator door

A refrigerator magnet or fridge magnet is a small magnet, often attached to an artistic or whimsical ornament, which may be used to post items such as shopping lists, Christmas cards, child art or reminders on a refrigerator door, or which simply serves as decoration. Refrigerator magnets come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and may have promotional messages placed on them. In addition to refrigerators, refrigerator magnets are commonly placed on steel-backed whiteboards and bulletin boards, as well as other metal furniture such as filing cabinets and tool chests. Refrigerator magnets are popular souvenir and collectible objects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American football card</span>

An American football card is a type of collectible trading card typically printed on paper stock or card stock that features one or more American football players or other related sports figures. These cards are most often found in the United States and other countries where the sport is popular.

<i>We Three Kings</i> (The Roches album) 1990 studio album by the Roches

We Three Kings is an album by the American folk trio the Roches, released in 1990. It is a collection of Christmas songs. The sisters wrote two of the album's 24 tracks. We Three Kings is considered a classic of unconventional Christmas music.

<i>Texas Special</i>

The Texas Special was a named passenger train operated jointly by the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad and the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway. It was the flagship of both these lines, operating between St. Louis, Missouri, and San Antonio, Texas, from 1915 until 1959, after which time the Katy changed the northern destination from St Louis to Kansas City after the Frisco discontinued service from St. Louis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hallmark Cards</span> American company specializing in greeting cards and gifts

Hallmark Cards, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce Hall, Hallmark is the oldest and largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was awarded the National Medal of Arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strawberry Shortcake</span> Cartoon character

Strawberry Shortcake is a cartoon character used in greeting cards originally published by American Greetings. The line was later expanded to include dolls, posters, and other products featuring the character, as well as an extended cast of friends and pets. In addition, the franchise has spawned television specials, animated television series and films. The franchise is currently owned by the Canadian children's television company WildBrain through the holding company Shortcake IP Holdings LLC.

Donald Joyce Hall Jr., is the executive chairman of Hallmark Cards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vaillancourt Folk Art</span>

Vaillancourt Folk Art (VFA) is a high-end Christmas manufacturer, wholesaler, and retail gallery located in Sutton, Massachusetts known for their hand-painted chalkware. Co-founder Judi Vaillancourt is credited with having developed the process used to create the first contemporary use of chalkware, using a plaster-like substance with confectionery moulds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theora Hamblett</span> American painter

Theora Hamblett was an American painter, one of the first Mississippi folk artists to achieve national prominence. Hamblett's paintings can be divided into three categories: memory paintings, dream paintings, and landscape paintings.

William Thacker McBride Jr. was an African-American artist, designer and collector. McBride began his career in the 1930s in the circles of black art collectives and artistic opportunities afforded by the Works Progress Administration. He would ultimately leave his mark in Chicago as a driving force behind the South Side Community Art Center. McBride distinguished himself as a teacher, as a cultural and political activist, and as a collector of African art and artwork by black artists of his generation.

Ellen G. K. Rubin is a pop-up and movable book collector known as the "Popuplady". She is best known for her collection of over 9,000 books, including more than 1,000 by the Czech paper engineer Vojtěch Kubašta, as well as for her lectures and research on the history of the pop-up and movable book formats.

References

  1. "World Famous Author; Ornament collection numbers 22,000". The Los Angeles Times. 15 December 1983. p. I41.
  2. Robinson, Ruth (12 December 1982). "DATED ORNAMENTS ON COLLECTORS' LIST". New York Times. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  3. Talley, Olive (11 December 1983). "She goes to the bank before decking the halls". The Hartford Courant. p. E9.
  4. Scott, Ruth (15 December 1987). "Christmas ornament collection: A keepsake for friends & family". Atlanta Daily World. p. 2.
  5. Kelly, Katy (24 Dec 1992). "Holly Jolly Hang-ups: Ornaments Aplenty Light Up Her Life". USA Today. p. 1D.
  6. Williams, Lynn (22 Dec 1985). "Collectors of ornaments deck their halls with history at Newspapers.com". The Baltimore Sun. p. IN. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  7. Hotton, Peter (13 December 1987). "Trees not only light up, but move and sing". The Boston Globe. p. B43.
  8. Soble, Ronald (10 December 1987). "1850-1930s mechanical banks still draw interest". The Los Angeles Times. p. F22.
  9. Hagerty, Brigid (25 December 1992). "Christmas grows on trees for collector". Tampa Bay Times. St. Petersburg, FL. p. 59.
  10. Kelly, Katy (24 Dec 1992). "Holly Jolly Hang-ups: Ornaments Aplenty Light Up Her Life". USA Today. p. 1D.
  11. Soble, Ronald (10 December 1987). "1850-1930s mechanical banks still draw interest". The Los Angeles Times. p. F22.
  12. Lignitz, Amy (15 December 1994). "Decorating the Christmas tree is big business". The Los Angeles Times. p. 10.
  13. Werne, Jo (23 December 1985). "Hooked on the holidays. Christmas ornaments are a year-round preoccupation for Houston woman". The Poughkeepsie Journal. p. 13A.
  14. Andersen, Erin (21 December 1998). "Lincoln Journal Star at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  15. Jones, John Philip (1999). "The Case for Collectible Brands by Jan S. Slater". How to use advertising to build strong brands. SAGE. p. 259. ISBN   9781452231396. OCLC   894769418 . Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  16. Andersen, Erin (21 December 1998). "Lincoln Journal Star at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. No. 17. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  17. Barrs, Jennifer (23 Jul 1998). "Collecting Memories: Ornament collectors begin the hunt early". The Tampa Tribune at Newspapers.com. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  18. "200,000 and counting: Tampa woman's collection of Christmas ornaments worth more than $2 mil". Jet. 85 (9): 12. 27 December 1993.
  19. Barris, Jennifer (23 July 1998). "Collecting memories". The Tampa Tribune. Florida. p. 17.
  20. Kelly, Katy (24 Dec 1992). "Holly Jolly Hang-ups: Ornaments Aplenty Light Up Her Life". USA Today.

External References

Clara Johnson Scroggins in libraries ( WorldCat catalog) [1]

  1. "Clara Scroggins Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information". www.tributearchive.com. Retrieved 1 June 2020.