The Tinkle Toy Co, a division of Plakie Toys, manufactured the ultra retro Christmas Tree Twinklers.
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Sometimes called birdcage ornaments, carousel ornaments or spinner ornaments, the most common Twinklers are carousel shaped in colors of retro pink, turquoise, yellow and blue. Less common are the Star-shaped Twinklers.
All Twinklers have glitter embedded in a translucent plastic frame, with a highly reflective metal propeller in a contrasting color housed inside a clear plastic cylinder.
These ornaments were designed to hang on the tree above a bulb of the large mid-century Christmas lights. The heat rising from the bulb causes the center propeller to spin, creating a twinkling effect.
Because the frames were often melted from the heat of the lights, surviving Twinklers are highly prized and becoming harder to find. Tip; Even if the frame is melted in a spot or two, as long as the propeller is intact the ornaments still function, and can be hung on the tree with the good side facing the room.
Occasionally a set will surface in their original box, which reads-
Twinkler
When placed above the light
IT WHIRLS – IT FLASHES – IT’S PERPETUAL MOTION
Made of durable plastic, not glass"