Antiques & Collectibles: Kitchenware

Most people fall into collecting salt and pepper shakers quite by accident. You need that first set to actually use, of course, but after that it gets a bit redundant. Then you must call yourself “a collector”. And what a good field to get your feet wet in! They’re abundant, colorful, eye-catching, run every theme, and best of all, they’re cheap. People can generally find a set of whimsical shakers for around $10, so collecting is certainly within the reach of the average person. 

As with other collectibles, if you are trying to add to the collectibility of your shaker sets, always make sure the shakers you choose cross themes and genres. That is, add Disney, Garfield, Charlie Brown themes or the like. 

When you speak to a collector of an item’s worth, you really are speaking hypothetically or even mythically, as collectors generally don’t buy things simply for their investment value, though they often talk of it. Somehow it makes the purchase a little more legitimate. Why can’t it just be fun, which it is? 

Still, speaking practically in monetary terms, salt and pepper shakers are great collectibles, though they don’t appreciate much. If you think in terms of what a basic savings account is offering, however, it’s in the right ballpark. And, they are so cheap (relatively) to collect, it’s a way to enjoy and save money. Since they’re cheap, they tend to sell as an afterthought purchase. 

In terms of buying, even the things that would seem like it would cost a lot, you will find great bargains. At a local mall, a very intricate set of the Wizard of Oz foursome traveling down the yellow brick road is selling for a mere $15.49. The salt shaker features two of the main characters, while the pepper shaker features the other two. Even with tax, you’ve gotten a good, cross-over collectible (bound to gain value over the years) for under $20. Not a bad deal when you price it out.