Florences’ GLASS KITCHEN SHAKERS 1930-1950s Identification & Value Guide is a convenient, multipurpose, targeting novice and long time collectors alike.
While some gatherers of Depression Era Kitchen Glassware prefer only Shakers, others of us have a few shakers and collect other items as well.
The cover of this book occupied with a variety of shaker examples is eye catching and beautiful. Table of Contents includes Acknowledgments, discourse detailing types of Salt and Pepper (Shakers) and Preface before naming Company specific pages with descriptions regarding shapes, colors and other specifics of shakers produced and shown in this particular edition.
Included in the Preface the Florences, Gene and Cathy, note ‘This book is useful for those who know little about shakers as well as those who know more than we do. It is organized by company, shapes, and patterns; it is as structured as we could make it, and hopefully informal enough to be enjoyable. There is no one way to collect shakers. Gather those you like!’
Anchor Hocking /Hocking Glass Corporation pages show photo examples of fired on colors on a basic shape models, and down on the right is an example of the Salt & Pepper shakers used on our table during my childhood! The tulip graced lids and clear glass containers, Philco pattern, bring back happy memories.
Some shakers have lettering indicating usage, Salt, Pepper, Flour, Spice, Sugar, etc. Shakers are found in a broad variety of container colors blue, black, yellow, clear.
Some sets were to be used on the stove top, those Salt and Peppers are a bit larger than those intended for table usage, and, as well often include a covered Drippings container.
I always enjoy perusing images of actual catalog pages, the first in this Anchor Hocking section shows bowls, covered refrigerator bowls and an 8 piece pantry set with large canisters and smaller necessary shakers.
Page 22 again brought a smile to my lips as I viewed a catalog page from 1951, Fire King, an Anchor Hocking brand, large 4¼” Salt and Pepper, and 16 oz canister set, ivory with tulip lids, was a gift given by our local grocery store and won by my mother, it was used by our family for years. Mom stored sugar in the large canister.
Dutch motifs appear on many of the shakers frequently offered at Depression glass shows, estate sales and jumble shops, I have several of the smaller sized ones. Bartlett Collins was one company offering the Dutch motif.
Collectors Gene and Cathy Florence indicate ‘Confusion still exists between the square shakers of McKee and those of Hazel-Atlas. Hazel-Atlas square shakers have a distinct sharp edge down the corners whereas, McKee shakers have less sharp, more round edges. The screw threads on top of Hazel-Atlas shakers are immediately on top of the squared design, but McKee shakers have a round shoulder before the threads are encountered.’
Along with lettering found on some Hazel Atlas shakers this is one company to include a stylized Colonial Couple for those who like motif décor. Hazel-Atlas is another of the companies offering Dutch motif shakers.
Because I have Dutch heritage; I have limited my own motif type collection to those featuring Dutch motif.
I found the Hazel-Atlas catalog image filled with Restaurant and Institution ware especially interesting. I remember many of the items pictured from visiting cafes as a kid.
Jeanette Glass Company, in addition to their line of kitchen shakers offered in a variety of colors and motif, also produced Bath Shakers with lettering indicating Bicarbonate Soda, Boric Acid, Epsom Salts, Mouth Wash and the like.
McKee Glass Company adorned some of their shakers and produced as well, items to be decorated by others. McKee décor showcased in this edition show patriotic motif pieces, as well as ships, bi centennial George and Martha Washington, a hand-painted Colonial lady, Barn Yard.
Several pages are devoted to McKee pieces decorated by Tipp.
Owens-Illinois Glass Company pages are filled with motif shakers; colonial, Dutch, Mexico, along with square glass shakers with glued labels.
Sneath Glass Company shakers were often found in Kitchen cabinets of the 1930s and 1940s . The cabinets were commonly known as Hoosier cabinets and the canisters as Hoosier shakers.
Tipp Novelty Company is first mentioned in the McKee section, this was a company that apparently produced decorations to place on plain shakers produced by McKee and other glass companies. Some of the motifs attributed to Tipp, and found, in this edition, are Rooster, Black Leaf Flower, Basket, Cattails, Cherries, Flowers, Dutch Dancers, Produce Basket, and Watering Can Lady.
A section found at the end of the book entitled Unidentified, includes several types of Dutch motif, Musketeers, Herbs, some with decals, various Sugar Shakers, and lastly Late Arrivals with a 1941 catalog page from Anchor Hocking, and a page showing various shakers.
I found handy the page labeled Conditions of Shakers; the authors display a number of shakers available for sale at yard and estate sales, jumble shops and the like showing condition of the items from excellent condition nearly mint to heavily used very poor condition.
A two page spread with more Florence titles and a full page show casing Schroeder’s Antiques Price Guide round out the book.
I find Florences’ GLASS KITCHEN SHAKERS 1930-1950s Identification & Value Guide displaying 1,000+ glass kitchen shakers, including sugar shakers, pictured in this volume of catalog image pages and full-color photographs to be a bang-up reference work novice and experienced collector alike, and, perchance for dealers too will find useful for identifying specific shakers and manufacturer.
This book, as are others by this collector author team, is well-written; in depth text is presented in lucid comprehensible prose. The detailed material present provides much content regarding kitchen, table top and cabinet shakers, as well as explaining, range/stove sets.
Photographs and period catalog images are well-defined, attractive and detailed making them helpful for distinguishing shakers and the companies producing them. I appreciate the sharp images, and, perceptivity regarding availability and potential values of these attractive shakers. Specific dates of production are not included; that is not a problem for me, 1930s – 1950s is close enough for me, I realize it may not be so for dealers.
Gene Florence, is likely the most recognized authority today regarding glassware. I know I can trust his authoritative guide as I add to my collection of Depression Era Kitchen items.
I find catalog identification of shaker names along with the manufacturing company, to be especially useful. Companies featured mentioned are well known names for most Depression Era collectors; Hazel Atlas, Anchor Hocking, Jeannette, McKee, Owens-Illinois, and lesser recognized perhaps, Tipp City Decorations.
While author Florence adds possible sales values, it is always wise to understand that economic value of any collectible is only what a potential buyer may actually be willing to spend should you purchase with hope to resell at a profit.
This book may well stir happy memories, as it did for me when I viewed pieces my mother used during my childhood, and it may make a nice gift for special mom, aunt and grandmother who lived during the 30s, 40s and 50, whether they collect or not.
Happy to recommend Florences’ GLASS KITCHEN SHAKERS 1930-1950s Identification & Value Guide for collector bookshelf, public library inclusion and possibly for nursing home and assisted living setting to spark reminisce discussion.
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REVIEWED BY Molly Reviews BOOKS molly martin
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AMAZON BIOGRAPHY A collector since childhood, Gene Florence's hobby of buying and selling glassware turned into a full-time career. First writing a book on Depression Glass, Florence has gone on to author many popular glassware titles including books on Depression Glass; Occupied Japan Collectibles; Kitchen Glassware; Very Rare Glassware; 40s, 50s, & 60s Glassware;Elegant Glassware; Stemware; Glassware Pattern Identification; Anchor Hocking's Fire-King; Glass Candlesticks; and Salt & Pepper Shakers
AMAZON PRODUCT DETAILS
Title: . GLASS KITCHEN SHAKERS 1930-1950s Identification & Value Guide
Genre: education, reminisce, collector
Author: Gene and Cathy Florence
PAPERBACK: 160 pages
Publisher: Collector Books; 1 edition (March 1, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 157432389X
ISBN-13: 978-1574323894
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.3 x 11 inches
Thank you for your review.
Corninng has its own collectors, not necessarily Depression Era Collectors, Corning appeared later than the early molded glassware more thought of as 'Depression Glass' or kitchen Depression Era pieces and gizmos.
Tiffany is collected more as 'art glass' by many collectors, and while much was produced during and after the actual time of the so called great depression it is often frequently not lumped together with the molded glassware.
In the collecting world there are books available, and avid collectors of both Tiffany and Corning pieces.
While I do not collect Tiffany, I do collect Corning single cups or 1 quart square pans in varying motif.
I learned many years ago while serving as Kern Co Fair chairman of Collectibles : for everything manufactured somewhere there WILL BE a collector of same.
and, that variety of what tickles the fancy of somewhere, somewhere, for something, for me, is what made my chairmanship duties so interesting and enjoyable for many years.
My grandmother collected dogs. My aunt had collected bells and spoons. Another aunt crocheted and sold to crochet collectors. I recall the shakers pictured on the book's cover that my mother had as part of her regular kitchen use. She never collected anything and always sold stuff in garage sales to keep the house from getting cluttered. My ex-wife was an avid antique collector and may have had some of those shakers if they were rare.
It's interesting what things become valuable because of their quality, artistry and intrinsic nostalgic value. I didn't see Corning or Tiffany listed. Perhaps they were too highfalutin for simple condiment shakers. ;-)
Ron