I can remember this collection craze beginning early in my childhood with those beautiful plastic Breyer horse models, which I happily unwrapped every birthday and immediately created a special place on honor on the shelf for the newest steed. Oh, how I wish I had that collection now!
My latest craze has been these German TV tower replicas from the 1950's - 1970's. First stumbled upon on eBay, I have been on a quest to acquire examples of each tower, expertly hand-crafted in solid chrome and brass, sometimes with lucite or jewel adornments, and ranging from 6" to well over 24" in height. I have found conflicting reports on the origin of these beauties - most believe they were crafted by German metal smith students honing their craft, others say they were lathed as models for city planners as tactile examples for possible construction or as mementos for the tower architects and city dignitaries.
Search flea markets for the best prices (I've heard they are common finds at German antique fairs) or battle it out with me on eBay, using key phrase "German TV Tower replica or model" or the German term, "fernsehturm." Prices on eBay range from $50 to over $400 a tower.
Images: Models - The Invisible Agent, Berlin Tower - Shutterstock
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They are gorgeous!
I live in germany and i visit flea markets quite often. But i have never seen these models on a german flea market.
I guess these models are "Gesellenstücke" from people who learn to be a machinist. You have to learn for three years and at the end there is a theoretical and a practical test the "Gesellenprüfung" When you've done everything allright in that test, you are a "Handwerkergeselle".
OMG I love these towers. I can totally see these on my mantle in CT. Good find Chad.
Interesting - ebay Germany also has "fernsehturm" in wood, cookie cutters, and as Christmas tree ornaments. Who knew?
Thank you for solving one of my life's great mysteries, lol... just few weeks ago, I was holding one of these in a used furniture store as the workers and I were trying to figure out what it was! Now I know. Cool!
ahhhh COOL! I live in Munich and love to see how different the towers are in various places. I had no idea these little models existed!
I'm also from Germany and I think these kind of TV towers are made for electric toy railroads.
You will find some on ebay if you enter "fernsehturm" and "eisenbahn" (German for railroad).
or
"fernsehturm" and "faller" (= name of a company that produces toy railroads)
This might be an interesting post, but too bad it's not "collections month" at AT. Save the good collection posts for "collections months" so we don't have to suffer again when it comes around.
These are wonderful. The blog, www.BuildingCollector.com has lots of information for collectors of souvenir buildings, monuments and towers like this.
Wheeewwwww girl those replicas are divine but how "tiny" is your apt? I have several orginals and they are to-die-for