Woolworths' centenary artificial Christmas tree to be auctioned

One of the first artificial Christmas trees, bought for sixpence at Woolworths, is to be auctioned after being decorated every year for over a century.

The modest and inconspicuous tree was probably bought by the family of eight-year-old Dorothy Grant from the chain store in 1920.

The 31-inch tree with 25 branches, 12 berries and six mini candle holders was the centerpiece of the family celebrations.

As a child, Dorothy decorated the artificial tree with cotton wool to make it look like snow, and she put it up for 94 more Christmases.

When Ms. Grant died in January 2014 at the age of 101, the heirloom was passed down to her daughter, Shirley Hall.

The 84-year-old, who lives near Loughborough, Leicestershire, is now selling the tree so someone else can enjoy it this Christmas.

The selling price is expected to be between £60 and £80, but when the piece goes under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers in Oxfordshire on Friday it could fetch even more.

Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: “It has to be the most humble Christmas tree in the world. But as simple as it was, Dorothy loved it.

“It represented the magic of Christmas and was an integral part of family celebrations for decades. The fact that it brought Dorothy so much joy is humbling in itself.”

He added that the article was a reminder that “extravagance and excess are not necessary to capture the Christmas spirit.”

The tree served as the centerpiece of the festive decorations at Ms Grant's family home in Loughborough.

Mr Hanson added: “As far as we know, Dorothy’s mother, who was born in 1891, bought the tree in 1920, which would make it 103 years old. She probably bought it at Woolworths.

“The popular department store began selling some of the first mass-produced artificial trees at this time and Woolworths opened a store in Leicester in 1915.”

Some of the first artificial Christmas trees were made using machines used to make toilet brushes, the antiques expert said, adding: “This is one of the earliest Christmas trees of this kind we have ever seen.”

A similar tree bought in Scotland in 1937 sold for £150 in 2019, while another fetched £420 in 2017.

Mr Hanson added: “The power of nostalgia could also help this tree find a special home.” It might appeal to a museum.

“The generations that don’t waste and don’t want still teach us an important lesson about appreciating the simple things and not replacing things just for the sake of it.”

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