Holi-Gay
HOLI-GAY
901 W. Huron
and
4435 S. Oakley Avenue
Chicago, IL
There is no green like the Holi-Gay green. And what a shame, they flocked it! Actually the flocking is adored and desired by many collectors! Holi-Gay Manufacturing Company was one of the many divisions of Eckmar Corporation. Yet another entity based in Chicagoland, little is known about Holi-Gay, other than their penchant for flocking aluminum. Box labels often indicate a Sears distributorship. Holi-Gay models appeared in the Sears Christmas Book throughout the 1960’s. They also had a patent, although it was not for their aluminum trees. Malcolm Logan is attributed as the inventor of a mechanism to make plastic branches.
Holi-Gay licensed patent #2,893,149, also known as the Reece-Paul patent.
The Holi-Gay in Holly Green
Holi-Gay trees were produced in the inimitable Holly Green, Silver and Magi-Gold. Not all were flocked, and their flocked status would be marked on the box. Along with flocking, the Holi-Gay hallmark is a rather tufted pom.
The storage system was a pallet, instead of sleeves. The box and pallet are often missing, leaving lucky finders wondering what they have. View the photos detailing what makes a Holi-Gay so very gay indeed!
Holi-Gay also manufactured a branded tree for the Carnation Co. Perhaps the white flocking was intended to inspire the homemaker to purchase powdered milk. One can only speculate!
