This page will contain links to articles about choosing and purchasing accessories for putzes and other seasonal displays.
One thing worth saying up front is that, although most putz houses are about HO in scale, most accessories people used in the “old days” were O scale or larger. And some of those accessories are still being made new for Lionel fans. As an example, the structures in the late50’s photo to the right are actually plastic, from Bachmann’s Plasticville set. Several are still available, and the ones that aren’t being made today are widely available used.
If you search for "putz" on Ebay, you'll notice that people are attaching the word "putz" to any shoddy old toy or miniature they find. You may actually find something that appeared on traditional putzes in North America, like the celluloid reindeer (whichwere bigger than the houses but turned up on many putzes just the same). If you're new to all of this, it might benefit you to take a look at as many traditional putz photos as you can to get a feel for what belongs on a putz and what doesn't.
If you do decide to go to Ebay, try the "Toys & Hobbies > Model RR, Trains > O Scale > Track & Accessories” section to look for pieces that may have turned up on mid-century putzes. Or the Standard Gauge section for stuff that might have turned up on early-20th century putzes.
We'll be adding more information here as time permits. In the meantime, if you know of a good, ethical source for putz accessories, or if you make them yourself (and have a web page and satisfied customers), please let us know, and we'll check it out.
Copyright (c) 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 by Paul Race for Breakthrough Communications, Springfield, Ohio. All rights reserved.