Enchanting whimsy or frights of fancy, those evocative snowdomes are back in fashion to excite collectors anew. And it seems, the more kitsch and rare, the better the financial reward.

Snowdomes are produced as holiday mementos, special-event souvenirs and simple merchandising - but often it is true kitsch that maketh the dome.

Despite a certain disdain within the collectors market of the 1980s, snowdomes are back in fashion.

Who can resist the allure of a glitter-covered Uluru, beach lovers surfing in snow or Joseph and Mary with the infant Jesus seemingly happy in mid-blizzard?

Incredible ugliness, bright color combinations and incongruous landscapes such as kangaroos surrounded by snow are of major appeal in the world of snowdome collecting.

According to research by Annette Shiell, co-curator of the Lie of the Land exhibition by the Centre for Australian Studies at Monash University, credit for the creation of the snowdome must go to the French. The first known waterglobes were an extension of the elegant glass paperweights that French artisans of the 19th century were renowned for.

Late last century at the Exposition Universalle in Paris, an enterprising manufacturer commemorated the construction of the Eiffel Tower by developing and selling the first souvenir snowdome, known then as snowstorms.

Vanessa Crew of Glenhuntly Antique Centre [in Melbourne] says the improved transport and increased tourism of the late Victorian era made snowdomes popular as mantelpiece decorations.

They were simultaneously produced in Germany, Austria, France, Poland and Czechoslovakia, which was famous for its glass-blowing.

These snowdomes are worth at least $100 but are very hard to find in Australia, Ms Crew says.

The Austrian manufacturer Erswin Perzy was the most famous snowdome maker and he used to boast about the quality of his pieces and how long the snow would take to fall because of his special formula, she says.

Various materials have been used to make the snow of the snowdome, including bone chips, porcelain flakes, mothball flakes, ground raw rice and glitter.

Bakelite snowdomes from the 1930s and 1940s will generally sell for $15 to $20. Post-World War II snowdomes are made of plastic and fetch $10 upwards.

The flat-bottomed, oval-shaped dome familiar to the world's tourist shops is a German Invention from the 1950s.

Snowdomes of the 1960s were often quite elaborate and Ms Crew says they generally sell for $10 or more.

New editions include snowdomes to be used as picture frames. The picture or photo slides in the bottom and is surrounded by silver love hearts or speckled snow and glitter.

The most popular sources for snowdome collectors are tourist centres or friends arriving home from holiday. A small tourist snowdome generally sells for $3 to $5 and the larger souvenir domes for up to $8.

Sydney collector Denis Gojak has 730 snowdomes in his collection. he prefers to collect Australian pieces and finds older snowdomes superior to more contemporary ones. Older domes make a real effort to give an experience of the memory of a particular place, he says. They were bought as souvenirs as a holiday reminder. Today, most souvenirs are just generic merchandising.

Such is Mr Gojak's passion for snowdomes that, as a surprise, his wife commissioned a special wedding-day snowdome to adorn their wedding cake. He describes his Western Plains Zoo dome with three giraffes as simple but elegant and says some of the favorite domes in his collection are the simplest.

According to Ms Shiell, snowdome collectors delight in finding that special snowdome - the one with the mistake. Errors caused by fast mass production such as incorrect name plaques, spelling errors and upside-down figurines make these domes highly sought-after collectibles.

Some collectors view a seemingly straightforward Parliament House, Canberra, snowdome as quite collectible. Reputedly, the first one produced was withdrawn from sale when it was discovered that the flag fluttering behind Parliament House looked decidedly more like a Japanese flag than Australian.

The interior scene of the snowdome also has a bearing on value, particularly if it depicts a scene that is collectible in its own right.

Ms Crew cites a Mickey Mouse snowdome, which could fetch up to $80 because of the popularity of Disney collectibles. Star Trek memorabilia is a collectible in itself and an autograph will significantly increase the value of any item.

A Star Trek snowdome featuring the Starship Enterprise exploring space was picked up for $8.95. If autographed by Patrick Stewart, who played Captain Jean Luc Picard, the dome could increase in value to at least $100 if put to auction.

Snowdomes are big business. Not only can they be picked up at any self-respecting souvenir shop in the many tourist centres of the world, but a shop in San Francisco, Global Shakeup, is devoted entirely to snowdomes of the world. An associated mail-order company supplies snowdomes to collectors.

Such is the magical and illusory appeal of the snowdome that they have even been used for advertising and many a billboard or tram has featured a giant snowdome.

Orders can also be placed through the Internet at a number of sites for new-release domes. A limited-edition snowdome featuring the official rooster mascot of the World Cup France 98 sells for $US42.50 ($A66). A set of four Sesame Street domes featuring Ernie, Big Bird and Elmo sell individually for $A42.61.

The real appeal, however, of the often kitsch snowdome is the mini-utopian worlds they represent and the joy they give when one feels the urge to shake.