by Pamela Siegel
For many home decorators, nothing creates eye-catching displays like vintage kitchenware. The colors, shapes, and motifs set older kitchen items apart from their newly made counterparts. Some things that weren’t really meant to be decorative back in the day, like food containers and kitchen gadgets, also go with this cool category of collectibles.
If you’ve been thinking about how vintage kitchen items might level up your decorating game, read on for some key points to contemplate and learn about some of the valuable items you might run across in your hunt.
3 Points to Consider When Starting a Vintage Kitchenware Collection
Before you get started, or continue to build a blossoming collection, there are several aspects to think about when hunting down vintage kitchenware:
1. Consider your decorating style. Thinking about your decorating goals helps you create a more curated collection. For example, if you gravitate toward Mid-Century Modern, buying kitchenware from the 1950s and ‘60s with atomic motifs and pastel colors might fit in better with your preferences. Those with a penchant for the farmhouse vibe can find all types of kitchenware, from antique crockery to vintage cookie jars, that fit in perfectly. Decorators that love a more rustic look can pick up old wooden bread bowls and utensils to add texture and interest to islands and countertops.
2. Contemplate the importance of utility. Another question to ponder is whether you want to use your collectibles daily. Vintage items don’t always hold up in the dishwasher because they weren’t made to be cleaned in that way. Harsh detergents can cause the glass to become permanently etched and cloudy – a problem known as “sick” glassware in vintage circles. Decals decorating drinkware can also become faded and dull. Additionally, painted wooden handles are prone to chipping or being completely stripped of their color. Are you willing to wash all those items by hand, or will you be satisfied just by displaying them?
3. Keep space constraints and budget in mind. How much space it will take to store your stash and budget also come into play when musing about a kitchenware collection. Honing your interests and thinking about how you’ll use items helps with both these considerations. You might be willing to splurge on a special item to display in your kitchen but decide to spend less on things you’ll regularly use. Having a plan helps you stay on track as you begin to shop.
Mod canister set c. 1970
Valuable Kitchenware to Look for While on the Hunt
Vintage and collectible kitchenware can fit every budget. There are items that look fantastic available for just a few dollars apiece and rarities with price tags in the hundreds or even thousands. When you run across one of those items at a bargain price, you’ve found a “sleeper.” You can sell it to get more money to spend on your collection or keep it as a prized possession.
One of the secrets to scoring an expensive treasure on the cheap is to learn about hard-to-find patterns and styles in your areas of interest before you start shopping. There are items of this nature to look for in every category.
Some of the collectibles to keep on your radar as you shop include:
Canning jars. These days canning jars are often referenced generically as Mason jars since that’s one of the most popular brands. When you’re keeping an eye out for these collectibles, skip the type currently available in retail outlets. Instead, watch for valuable variations featuring colors out of the ordinary, interesting lids, oddities, and little-known brands that are no longer being made in addition to old Ball, Mason, and Atlas jars.
Examples of jadeite kitchenware
Jadeite glass. While Fire-King might be the name associated with jadeite most frequently, it wasn’t the first opaque green glass made. That honor goes to McKee Glass Company’s “Skokie” colored glass, first marketed in 1930. Others like Jeanette Glass Co. made “Jadite,” and then came Anchor Hocking’s Fire-King brand of “Jade-ite” glass in the 1940s. Many pieces of jadeite kitchen glass can be purchased for reasonable prices, but there are some exceptions that bring hundreds, including complete sets of mixing bowls and ball-shaped pitchers.
Pyrex glass. While the first Pyrex bakeware was made of clear glass in 1915, the vintage pieces made from the 1940s through the early ‘70s are more popularly sought by collectors today. Many patterns can be obtained affordably, but a few bring higher-than-average prices, like Atomic Eyes and Atomic Starburst. Learn more about this type of glass through The Guide to Collecting Pyrex Kitchenware, an AuctionNinja feature article.
A variety of old kitchen implements and gadgets
Old kitchen gadgets. From crank butter churns and hand mixers to old egg scales, there are many obsolete kitchen gadgets collectors ferret out today. Implements like potato mashers and peelers, apple corers, and flour scoops with red or green painted handles also fall into the kitchen gadget category. Kitchen tools with Bakelite handles have many fans as well. Most sell for several dollars each, but a single spatula with a red Bakelite bullet-shaped handle can bring $50-75. And don’t forget the ice cream scoops. Collectors will pay hundreds to snag a rare example.
Advertising items. All types of advertising items can be displayed in kitchens, from food-related signs to glassware, but some of the most popular items are old tins. Collectors are particularly drawn to examples featuring obsolete brands or packaging like metal butter pails and coffee cans with metal lids. Some worth more than average have interesting and colorful artwork, too. Certain antique tins can sell for thousands, according to AntiqueAdvertising.com. Most won’t have a lofty price tag like that, but it’s worth looking for them, along with more affordable vintage examples.
Toaster dating to the early 1900s
Small appliances. You might not feel safe using them in your kitchen, but interesting waffle irons, old-fashioned toasters, and other small appliances can be great conversation starters in addition to being quite handsome. Look for examples with intriguing features or decorative touches. For instance, toasters dating to the Art Deco period can be particularly interesting, and some are worth several hundred dollars, while those made of decorated ceramics can be valued even higher.
Depression glass. Most people think of dinnerware when it comes to Depression glass, but many interesting collectibles made of colored glass were also produced for kitchen use during the 1930s. These objects range from canisters with metal lids to reamers, also known as juicers. Many were produced with green glass, also called uranium glass, which has enough of the radioactive element in the formula to make it fluoresce under a black light. An array of other colors, including pink, amber, and varying shades of blue, can be found as well.
A word of warning, however, when it comes to kitchen items: don’t believe everything you read on the Internet. Some things reportedly selling for huge sums have had prices artificially inflated by shady sellers. This includes Corningware Cornflower blue and white casserole dishes, which may sell for hundreds per piece in some instances but rarely, if ever, for thousands.
Depression era uranium glass kitchenware
The Best Places to Shop for Vintage and Collectible Kitchenware
Sometimes “shopping” for vintage kitchenware is as easy as visiting your grandmother’s house. The passing of heirlooms is a time-honored tradition, so make it known if you’d love to have a favorite mixing bowl set or cookie jar you’ve admired all your life.
Beyond that, online auctions offer super opportunities to snag amazing kitchen items. Estate sale auctions offered online by AuctionNinja are a great place to start your quest. Examine the items you’re considering carefully, viewing all the photos provided, especially with glassware, and ask additional questions about the condition if needed before placing your bid. Do the same for other online buys, whether bidding on eBay or making purchases on Etsy.
If you prefer attending estate sales in person, AuctionNinja also offers listings of sales taking place across the United States, along with Buying Guides you can use to locate the best places to shop for vintage everything. Visiting local thrift and charity shops, flea markets, and tag sales can yield vast selections of kitchenware in all age and price ranges.
Ready to shop for vintage kitchenware online? Take a look at all the kitchen-related items offered by sellers on AuctionNinja.com.
Written by:
January 21, 2023 Updated 01:06 PM
As a freelance writer, Pamela Siegel covers lifestyle topics ranging from antiques and collectibles to interior design and everything around the home. Her work appears on The Spruce where she shared tips and research as the site’s antiques expert for many years. She also writes for House Digest, Kovels Antique Trader, Worthpoint, and Mashed. In addition to penning thousands of articles for online resources and print-based pubs, Siegel authored several books including “Warman’s Costume Jewelry” and “Buying & Seling Antiques and Collectibles on eBay.” She also shares her expertise with other magazine writers along with doing television, radio and podcast interviews. As often as possible, Siegel loves shopping flea markets and estate sales for her next great find, home decorating, foodie pursuits, and exploring the world on cruise ships.
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