A 1993 landscape layout display for the U.S.S. Enterprise D (14” H x 18” W) with centered text.
This piece is different than the more common portrait layout display that is 11 1/2” H with off center text and mounts inside the green display cabinet (below). Bottom insert (2 1/2” H).
This clipping is from The Country Journal in May of 1994. It is an article that covers Patrick Stewart and the last days of Star Trek: The Next Generation but what catches the eye is the Hallmark ad in the lower right.
Unfortunately, the image is too blurry to make out the details but it is a Rowe-Manse Emporium and Country Store advertisement offering a buy back program of the 1991 Hallmark Enterprise ornament. As the ad shows, Rowe-Manse was offering $150 for Hallmark’s first Star Trek ornament. $150 in 1994 is equivalent to $268.50 in 2021. The ‘91 Enterprise is currently available on eBay for $75 and up. Originally sold for $20, the Enterprise was a huge success and supply did not keep up with the high demand.
Roxanne Roberts of the Washington Post wrote on the ornament’s rarity in 1991, “Demand for the Starship is the greatest that Hallmark has ever had for any ornament, says spokeswoman Betsy Helgager. The company will not release production figures but the Enterprise, which premiered this summer at about 11,000 retailers, was quickly reissued this fall when Hallmark realized it had a phenomenon on its branches. Each store got about 50. Since the ornament went on display in August, stores have been inundated with requests. Most started waiting lists; after a while, they stopped taking names. On Oct. 1, when retailers were allowed to reorder the spaceship, Hallmark received more than $1 million in orders, said one representative. Most shipments were sold out the day they arrived. People are still calling, even offering extra money.“
In 1993, Kevin Stevens wrote for Strange New Worlds, “Prices for the Starship Enterprise ornament climbed to $175, eventually topping out at about $250. One dealer at a Los Angeles area Star Trek convention had priced the ornament at $400. Prices for this piece have since stabilized at about $200.”
The Rowe-Manse Emporium was a New Jersey business that sold collectibles, toys, jewelry, food and candy and was known for its wooden escalator. Unfortunately, this specialty department store went out of business in the early 2000s.
Leonard Nimoy portrayed Lt. Spock for nearly 50 years and in 1992 he recorded a special holiday message from Spock for use within Hallmark’s Shuttlecraft Galileo ornament. That same year, Nimoy appeared as himself in a television commercial for the ornament where he gives the famous Vulcan salute.
Leonard Nimoy: ”Excuse me. I’m interested in the new collectors ornament from Hallmark.”
Hallmark Employee: “Ahh…the shuttle craft Galileo from the starship Enterprise.”
Leonard Nimoy: “Precisely.”
Hallmark Employee: “You know? It lights up when you plug it in. And listen…”
Spock Ornament Recording: “Shuttle craft to Enterprise. Spock here. Happy holidays. Live long and prosper.”
Leonard Nimoy: “Fascinating.”
Voiceover: “For a store in your sector now carrying the Star Trek ornament call 1-800-HALLMARK.”
Hallmark Employee: ”Live long and prosper, right?”
Leonard Nimoy: “No, I’ll take five.“
1993 Enterprise D Commercial
In 1993, Hallmark aired a television commercial featuring Patti Yasutakein the role of Nurse Alyssa Ogawa, who was seen questioning the shipboard computer and then replicating a USS Enterprise-D Keepsake ornament. Patti Yasutake played Nurse Alyssa Ogawa in 16 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and in Star Trek Generations and Star Trek: First Contact.
Majel Barrett-Roddenberry provided the voice of the computer. Majel, the “First Lady of Star Trek”, famously played the Trek roles of Number One, Nurse Chapel, M’Ress, Lwaxana Troi and the voice of most onboard computer interfaces throughout the series.
Nurse Ogawa: “Computer, access the new Keepsake Magic Ornament from Hallmark.”
Ship Computer/Replicator: “Accessing U.S.S. Enterprise, a collectible ornament accurately representing the the Galaxy Class starship. Ornament carries Earth date 1-9-9-3 and illuminates in a realistic manner.”
Nurse Ogawa: “The new starship enterprise ornament please.”
Ship Computer/Replicator: “Replications are copies. Only Hallmark carries authentic Keepsake ornaments.”
Nurse Ogawa: “Suggest solution.”
Ship Computer/Replicator: “Call 1-800-HALLMARK for store nearest you.”
1994 Klingon Bird of Prey Commercial
Hallmark’s television commercial for the 1994 Klingon Bird-of-Prey ornament featured Robert O’Reilly in the role of Gowron, commanding the bridge of a Klingon ship. His raucous Klingon language pitch was subtitled in English.
Robert O’Reilly appeared in the Star Trek franchise for over ten years primarily in his recurring role on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as Chancellor Gowron, the leader of the Klingon Empire.
O’Reilly made his first appearance in the Star Trek franchise with an appearance in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Manhunt”and his last as the character Kago-Darr in the Star Trek: Enterprise episode “Bounty”.
Marc Okrand, creator of the Klingon language, provided the language for the commercial. He is the author of three books about Klingons – The Klingon Dictionary, The Klingon Way and Klingon for the Galactic Traveler, as well as two audio-courses: Conversational Klingon and Power Klingon.
Gowron (speaking Klingonese): “Greetings! In our many battles we have fought with honor and achieved…victory! So to celebrate I have gotten you all a gift. It’s a Klingon Bird of Prey Ornament.”
Klingon #1 (speaking Klingonese): “It looks so real.”
Klingon #2 (speaking Klingonese): “It even has working lights.”
Voiceover: “Hallmark introduces the exclusive Klingon Keepsake Ornament. Call 1-800-HALLMARK for a Gold Crown Store near you.”
Klingon #1 (speaking Klingonese): ”That was really nice of him.”
Klingon #2 (speaking Klingonese): “Yeah, we should get him a thank you card.“
1995 Romulan Warbird Commercial
Martha Hackett appeared as the female Romulan officer. Martha auditioned for the role of Jadzia Dax in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but lost out to Terry Farrell. She was cast as a member of the Terellian alien species in the finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation, “All Good Things…”. She appeared on Deep Space Nine as the Romulan Sub Commander T’Rul in the two part episode “The Search” in season three and starred as Seska in thirteen episodes of the television series Star Trek: Voyager.
Hallmark Employee: “May I help…you.”
Sub-commander: “You are aboard the the Imperial Warbird Khazara. You are here to explain this.”
Hallmark Employee: “Oh…the new Hallmark Star Trek Keepsake Magic ornament?”
Female Romulan Officer: “Pirated from the Romulan Empire!”
Male Romulan Officer: “Sub-commander, it lights up!”
Sub-commander: “Tell us what you know.”
Hallmark Employee: “Oh…well, the Romulan Warbird ornament is at Gold Crown Stores for a limited time. You should get yours soon.”
Voiceover: “Call 1-800-HALLMARK for the store nearest you.”
Hallmark Employee: “You guys in town for a Star Trek convention?”
Hallmark spread the word of the release of The Next Generation’s Enterprise NCC-1701-D ornament in 1993 with a 3.25″ promotional button. A similar promotional button for another Enterprise ornament was distributed earlier this year.
Box Text: The U.S.S. Enterprise from the TV program STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, voyages to your galaxy to light up your tree. This unique starship, with its blinking and glowing lights, will fill your holiday with Keepsake Magic!
Serial #: QLX741-2
Lynn Norton…“At the time, Paramount would send me original blueprints and photos of the filming model as it was being constructed. I had access to detail that wasn’t readily apparent on our TV sets in those days, and I was able to explore and appreciate the design. I always imagined how I wanted to be part of the teams that built those studio models. It was thrilling for me to see the materials they were sending me. What appealed to me most was the level of detail visible on the hull and nacelles. The original was very simplistic in nature, and I had no problem with that. On the D, everything was busy.
“The Aztec patterns on the hull caused us some concern. What people are imagining on these end products is an extension of what happens in real life. Much of the hull plating is prefabricated and painted at the factory and there are little bits of variation in the paint lots, so there is a small difference in tone for each plate. Also, as plates go over curves, reflectivity changes. It happens on metal aircraft, so we’re familiar with seeing it. Even if you have no paint, the fact that metal when formed will change its lighting characteristics just slightly enough that it ends up with a patchwork look. But on an ornament, capturing that look can add literally hundreds of decoration steps, whether spray masks or pad printing or however you choose to do it. We chose not to.” – See more at: http://www.startrek.com/article/hallmark-sculptor-lynn-norton-on-the-storied-history-of-trek-keepsake-ornaments?ecid=PCID-2617611&pa=affcj#sthash.ddrwZLeO.dpuf
Hallmark Star Trek Ornaments 