Christmas window display figures from Marshall Field’s, the legendary Chicago department store, will hit the auction block in September.
Chicago auction house Potter & Potter Auctions will offer 30 animatronic Christmas window display figures from Marshall Field’s at an auction on Sept. 12.
Among the items to be sold include a replica of the famed Marshall Field’s clock, a horse-drawn delivery wagon, several Salvation Army figures and a figurine of a man reading the newspaper.
“I think a lot of people are looking to buy back their childhood, to have a memory re-lived on a daily basis by seeing things around the house,” Gabe Fajuri, president of Potter & Potter Auctions, told WBBM-AM.
The history of Marshall Field’s
Marshall Field’s, a landmark in American retail history, was founded in 1852 by Marshall Field and his partner Levi Leiter in Chicago.
Marshall Field’s was also known for its festive Christmas traditions, which became a cherished part of Chicago’s holiday season. The store’s Christmas window displays, a tradition that began in the early 20th century, are especially notable. These elaborate and artistic displays, designed to captivate and delight viewers of all ages, became a must-see attraction. Each year, the windows showcased a new theme, ranging from classic holiday scenes to whimsical, imaginative vignettes, drawing crowds from across the city and beyond.
In addition to the windows, Marshall Field’s Christmas traditions included a grand holiday display inside the store and the famed Christmas Tree in the Walnut Room.
Despite its acquisition by Macy’s in 2006, Marshall Field’s legacy endures. The store’s iconic holiday displays remain a celebrated part of Chicago.
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