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a year or two, Mr. Featherstone’s signature was put back on the birds
along with many other blow molds across their product line. Many
people today are incorrectly referring to Union Products molds as
“Featherstone” molds. Don Featherstone was a gifted artist and
sculptor, rising to President of the company. Still, the distinction needs
to be clear, the manufacturer is Union Products.
Union Products, as one of the greatest producers of injection and
blow-molded Christmas Americana, closed its doors in 2006.
Happily, however, some of their aluminum molds were sold to
HMC International, a subsidiary of Faster Form Corp. HMC
subcontracted production of the blow molds to Cado Manufacturing,
Inc. of Fitchburg, MA who, thereafter, acquired the copyrights and legal
use of the name Union Products. The pink bird and many other pieces
originally produced by Union Products are still in production today.

Holy Grail Santa catalog image

Left: Holy Grail Poloron Santa blow-
mold lighting up someone’s basement

swings side to side at the waist. The plastic used was heavy and durable;
the paint was of the highest quality. This same Santa was later produced
when the aluminum molds were acquired by Plastic Toy & Novelty Co
(PTN) and marketed under the Holiday Innovations brand and again,
in a non-animated version, when the aluminum molds were acquired
by Empire when Holiday Innovations went out of business.
Poloron Products, the innovative company that created incredible
Christmas memories, ceased production in 1981. Empire Snowmen
Judith Novelty Sales/Carolina Enterprises/Empire
Union Products It is believed that Empire of Tarboro, North
Union Products of Leominster, Massachusetts had the slogan Carolina commenced operations in 1953. Their
“Plastic for the Lawn.” And did they ever uphold that slogan. The earliest pieces were marketed under the name
company began business in 1947 creating, for the most part, hard “Judith Novelty Sales,” a division of Carolina
plastic injection molded items and later added blow-molded pieces. Enterprises/Empire. Empire’s product line was not
It was in 1958 that they limited to Christmas and Halloween, but included
released the icon of kitsch to toys, riding toys, and even cartoon soap bottles.
the general public. The The quality of Empire’s pieces was also very
majestic plastic pink high, and their paint and application process was
Flamingo. The pink birds truly outstanding. In the company’s early years,
spread across the landscape they produced many fantastic, original designs such
like wildfire, from coast to as their beautiful injection-
coast, pink birds could be Vintage Empire molded candoliers, blow
found. Designed by Donald Snowman 1968 molded candles, Santas,
Featherstone, the bird elves, toy soldiers, and
became an instant sensation. Pink flamingo lawn decoration more, Empire added to their line after purchasing
Mr. Featherstone went on some of Poloron’s aluminum molds. They
to design over 750 blow mold designs for Union Products. Their continued production of those as well. For a
catalogs featured not only Christmas decoration, but also Halloween, short time in the 1970s, Christmas-themed
Thanksgiving, Saint Patrick’s and Valentine’s Day, Independence Day, Disney characters were produced, Mickey and
and a full line of lawn and garden items from planters, pedestals, and Minnie, Goofy, and Donald Duck. The
decorative pots to all manner of animals and forest creatures. production numbers of Empire appear to have
In 1987 Mr. Featherstone’s signature was placed on the flamingo been enormous as well as their distribution
steel molds to commemo- network. Empire blow molds can still be readily
rate the 30th Anniversary of found all over the USA. The company went out
the bird – and to distin- of business in 2001.
guish authentic Union Many other companies produced wonderful 13.5-inch Empire
Products birds from the blow-molded decorations in the 1960s such as Santa 1968
reproductions being made. Dapol, NOMA, Lidco, Borse, Hamilton-
His signature was later Skotch, and Tico Toys, just to
removed in 2001. This is an name just a few. All of them shared
important detail that helps a commonality with the four
a blow mold collector to companies we’ve just visited; they
know the approximate age are all gone now but not forgotten.
of a particular piece. Within Their pieces are still out there in the
wild, still creating new Christmas
memories for generations to come.
Union and Empire Toy Soldier
blow molds selling on eBay
for $149.99 Vintage Empire blow-mold sit/ride tractor

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