How big is the ornament?

3 inches (76 mm) across, faceted crystal glass with a red ribbon hanger, in a white or gold gift box.

What is the Red Mill ornament?

An original old-fashioned line drawing of a four-story river mill with its wheel, dam and falls and a green wreath with a scarlet bow, set in a three-inch faceted crystal round with a white back and a red ribbon hanger. Part of the Merlin Classics Heritage Series.

Why are barns and mills painted red?

Red iron-oxide pigment mixed into linseed oil was cheap, easy to make and long-lasting, so it became the standard color for barns, mills and other working buildings in rural America.

What was a mill town?

A village that grew up around a water-powered mill. Before railroads, the mill race, the dam and the wheel set where towns formed, and mill towns and mill villages spread across the country during the early American industrial revolution.

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Red Mill · Four Stories on the River · Heritage Holiday Ornament

$28.00 USD

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Size One size

Shape Circle + White Gift Packaging Circle + Gold Gift Packaging

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Red Mill. A four-story mill beside a river, its wheel at the side, a stone dam with the falls spilling below, and a green wreath tied in scarlet ribbon hanging on its face for the season. Drawn the way a magazine illustrator of the 1880s would have drawn it, line by line.

Mills built America's towns. Before the railroad, the falls decided where a village went, and whatever mill stood beside them - grist, saw, woolen, whatever the valley needed - was the reason the road bent that way. A mill race carried water from the dam to the wheel; inside were stones, belts and hoppers, and a miller who took his pay as a share of what he ground. Mill towns and mill villages grew up around them all through the early industrial revolution in America.

This one started out as a woolen mill in the 1810s and spent the next century changing trades, the way mills did, until its town saved it as a museum. The red came last. Red was the working color of rural America, cheap iron-oxide pigment in linseed oil, which is why barns are painted red, and why a mill this color looks as if it has always been there.

Our own line drawing in the old-fashioned engraved manner, set in crystal so the cross-hatching holds under the lights; the wreath is the one touch of color. Three inches across, four stories tall.

For mill museums, river-town historical societies, engineers, and everyone whose town still has a Mill Street.

Faceted crystal, three inches across, with a white back so the line work reads from across the room once the tree is lit. Red ribbon. Boxed in gold or white, your call at checkout. Ships free anywhere in the U.S.

QUICK FACTS — RED MILL CRYSTAL ORNAMENT

Series: Heritage Holiday Ornament

Art: Red Mill (Four Stories on the River), original Merlin Classics engraving printed to the glass

Blank: 3-inch (76 mm) round clear crystal glass ornament, faceted gem-cut edge

Print: white-backed for contrast; red ribbon hanger

Packaging: white or gold gift box, chosen at checkout

Made to order in the USA

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Product FAQs

How does your sizing work?

Every item is made to order, so please check the size chart on this page before you buy. Women's fitted tees run small; size up for a looser fit. Caps are one size with an adjustable strap.

How are items made and when will they arrive?

We make each item to order using premium blanks, embroidery and soft-hand prints. Production takes 2-5 business days (weekends and holidays excluded), then 4-10 days in transit via USPS, UPS or FedEx to U.S. addresses; most orders arrive within 6-15 business days. You'll get a tracking link the moment it ships. Any current shipping offer is shown in the bar at the top of every page and applies automatically at checkout, no code needed.

How do I send a gift?

Enter the recipient's address as the shipping address and your own as the billing address at checkout. Nothing ships with a price; the package includes a plain packing slip. Tracking goes to your email, not theirs. For birthdays and holidays, order two weeks ahead to be safe.

What's the return policy?

Made-to-order items can't be returned or exchanged for size or color, so please use the size chart and photos before ordering. If anything arrives defective, misprinted or damaged, send a photo and your order number within 30 days and we'll replace it or refund you.

How do I care for my item?

Apparel: wash cold, inside out, with like colors; no bleach; tumble dry low or hang dry. Embroidered pieces: iron inside out to protect the stitching. Caps: spot clean. Printed glasses and water bottles: hand wash only, no dishwasher, so the artwork lasts. Mugs and engraved glasses are dishwasher safe. Any item-specific care notes are in the description above.

Who makes this?

Merlin Classics is a small Connecticut brand making original retro designs for the towns people love. Every piece is printed, embroidered or engraved to order in the USA, and the business supports hunger relief in the communities our collections celebrate.