When Scott Cavanaugh was 18—a few years ago—he gifted himself his first Christopher Radko Christmas ornament. “It was infatuation; infatuation is always your first love.” And thus began an amazing personal collection of ornaments by possibly the most famous ornament designer ever, as well as ornaments produced by other quality manufacturers.
Interior designers Scott and his husband, Ron Graham, love decorating for Christmas in their Millionaires Row mansion, Travis Reed Place. They begin in early fall deciding the theme for the year’s display, choosing which ornaments to display, then putting up five(?) elaborately decorated trees, festooning mantels and chandeliers, swagging doorways and stair railings with closely spaced ornaments securely wired to their backings that are then attached to every surface that can receive them without bending.
Their space, while very generous, allows only a portion of the collection to be displayed each year, and they like visitors to see different things each year. Ticket holders for the Pittsburgh Symphony’s Christmas on Broadway Holiday House tour will view a fulsome selection of these ornaments.
Why are the Radko ornaments so special? The story begins when Christopher Radko bought a faulty Christmas tree stand; The tree fell over and shattered a family collection of fragile glass ornaments, a collection begun by his grandmother who was born in 1900 and could recite the history of family events through the various ornaments. She was devastated by the loss. The quality of the mouth-blown and hand decorated ornaments that were lost could not be matched by the mass-produced ornaments available.
But on a trip to Europe not long afterwards, Radko discovered that craftsmen in some parts of Europe still were producing mouth-blown and hand finished Christmas ornaments. So in 1985 Radko set about designing and producing his own line of ornaments, and discovered a plenitude of buyers who happily paid $50 or more each.
The distinctive modern designs, intricate details, heavier glass, deep, rich colors and high quality finishes immediately set them apart from their mass produced rivals. And they became highly sought after collectibles that hold their value.
He was wildly successful. So successful, in fact, that he became so exhausted by the demands of running the business that in 2005 he sold the business to another quality ornament company, Rauch. The deal included a non-compete clause until 2021 and his name.
In time he found he missed the business and when the non-compete clause expired he set up another company, Heartfully Yours, and tried to regain his Christopher Radko brand name for Christmas ornaments. Roxanne Roberts, in a Washington Post profile of Radko (12/22/2023), reported that negotiations over use of his name were at that time still ongoing.
There are other manufacturers who now produce high quality collectible ornaments. Scott named, besides Rauch, Polonaise, Hallmark.
Some of Scott’s ornaments come as gifts. “Susanne Wilkinson gave me this one,” he said, holding a three-dimensional recreation of Vincent Van Gogh’s self-portrait, the colors true to the original. “Here’s Marilyn Monroe. Lucille Ball of’ ‘I Love Lucy.’.Dorothy from the ‘Wizard of Oz.’ The Tin Man. Cher. Laurel and Hardy, King Kong,” he continues, pointing out the glass portraits in various locations. “And this,” setting down a holder displaying a single lemon-shaped ornament. “And this.” A peacock. “The colors are so beautiful.”
So get your ticket and find Elton John, Scarlett and Rhett and other celebrities and Broadway play characters hanging around the Holiday House. Two weekends,, Nov. 22-24, and Nov. 29-Dec. 1.
More Information: https://pittsburghsymphonyassociation.org/symphony-splendor-holiday-house-tour/
Tickets: psaevents.ticketleap.com/2024-symphony-splendor-holiday-house-tour—christmas-on-broadw/