Few kitchen items are as cheerful and welcoming as a cookie jar. A vintage cookie jar is exactly the sort of thing you want to get your hand caught in!
Decorative cookie jars as a category of vintage kitchenware first appeared in the United States in the early 1930s, although a 10-inch-tall ceramic cookie jar in the shape of a trash can from Brush Kolorkraft of Roseville, Ohio has been dated to 1929.
 |
| Brown Bear Cookie Jar
this is from 1930s or 40s
|
 |
Brush Pottery Panda Cookie Jarthis is from 1959 |
Many manufacturers, including American Bisque, produced countless jars in the shapes of animals. Pigs were especially popular— American Bisque is known for its “paws in pockets” jars. Other pink-cheeked creatures included elephants, kittens and puppies, lamps, and rabbits.
 |
| Lefton Cat Collection |
Another popular ceramic kitchen collectible is a pair of salt-and-pepper shakers. In the 19th century, Staffordshire potteries produced salt-and-pepper shakers as parts of cruet sets. Many of these were novelty characters with pink cheeks and big hats.
In 20th-century America, square salt-and-pepper shakers made of milk glass and capped by threaded, metal lids were every bit as popular as ceramic ones made by companies like Homer Laughlin, whose Fiestashakers were shaped like small, footed balls. McCoy made shakers that looked like vegetables, Enesco favored tiny creatures like mice and snails, Parkcraft made shakers in the shapes of states, while Lefton excelled at bluebirds and a bonneted kitten character it called Miss Priss.
