Little Gems Worth Their Salt

Open salts, salt cellars, salt dips – by any name, these charming little additions to formal dinner tables are highly collectible and very attractive. Remembered most commonly as being part of fine Victorian dining, they’ve actually been around for centuries. They can be made out of glass, porcelain, or silver (these had glass inserts), they can be found in just about any color or shape including round, square, triangular, footed, or in novelty shapes.

In their day, one of these diminutive pieces was placed at each person’s place with its own tiny silver spoon, while a larger version called a Master Salt remained in the center of the table. While some people took pinches of salt with their fingers and sprinkled it on their food, the more refined way was to use the accompanying silver spoon.

Originally salt was not as finely ground as it is today. Salt of bygone eras came in large crystals, and it was only toward the end of the 19th century that salt was ground into the finer version we know today, which led to the birth of the salt shaker. Although some people continued using open salts into the turn of the century, they pretty much vanished from the dining table by the Depression Era.

Most open salts being manufactured today are made of glass as collectibles, and some companies are even using the original molds. The Open Salts Info website identifies the following marks as reproductions; check out the website for images and more info:
~ Avon
~ HFM (Henry Ford Museum)
~ MMA (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
~ MET (also Metropolitan Museum of Art, but this reproduction is from the 1930s)
~ Sandwich (Sandwich Museum Gift Shop) - old salts have “Lafayet”
~ Acorn or SM (Sandwich Museum) – old salts have “B. & S. Glass Co." (Boston and Sandwich Glass Company)
~ BMR (Bennington Museum Reproduction)

On the Open Salts Info website you can also find information about the National Open Salts Convention, collectors’ clubs, subscribe to their newsletter, find open salts for sale, and much more.

From personal experience, some of the most expensive open salts I’ve seen sell at auction were beautifully hand-painted porcelains; of course, there are some rare and intricate glass examples that can cost quite a bit as well. Reproductions still make for an affordable and very pretty collection, but if you’re a purist and only want original pieces, you can still find affordable examples in cut and pressed glass as well as porcelain.

You can find salts and other wonderful period pieces at Collector's Cottage.

Hen On Nest Collectibles

Hen on Nest covered dishes have been around since at least the 1800s, and their unique charm has turned them into popular collectibles. Shirley Smith, an author and expert in the field with a wonderful hen-on-nest collection of her own, says that there are 50 companies that are known to have made hen on nest dishes, and possibly another 40 companies as well. She’s identified 191 different sizes or forms and she believes there are even more out there. You can see some wonderful pictures of Shirley’s collection on the National Milk Glass Collectors Society website.

You can find glass hen-on-nest dishes in just about every color imaginable, in many different finishes, and in sizes ranging from less than 2 inches to over 8 inches in length. Depending on the size, these sets are called by a variety of terms, from trinket boxes and candy dishes to covered dishes and ring boxes. There are other animal covered dishes as well, including rabbits, cats, swans and dogs, but the greatest number is in the hen design.

In her article, Shirley talks about the importance (and fun) of identifying the pieces of your collection according to age, manufacturer and style. One cautionary note that she emphasizes about buying sets like this is to check the set carefully for a “marriage” – that is, a top and bottom that were not originally meant to be together, but which somehow ended up together as one unit.

Knowing manufacturers’ marks, when one is present, is another important piece of information. Certain manufacturers made their hen-on-nest sets in specific types of glass during particular years; anything else may indicate a reproduction. Also every individual part of the hen and nest tells a story, from the shape of the eye to the weave of the basket; Shirley has a wonderful illustration of this in the article.

Once you’ve observed the details of the piece carefully, you can use some of the many research books to determine the make and age of your set. Knowing the marks of hen-on-nest manufacturers will, of course, help a great deal if your piece has a mark (paper labels aren’t as reliable as impressed or embossed marks, as they can sometimes be switched from other pieces). Although you’ll probably find the most information in a guide/value book like Shirley’s, a wonderful online resource to get you started is Hen On The Nest, which lists information about 18 hen-on-nest manufacturers’ marks including Westmoreland, Fenton, Indiana Glass, Imperial Glass, Boyd, Mosser and more. The site also has a lot of other information (and plenty of pictures too) about these collectibles, as well as a link to a Yahoo group called Frank’s Hen Discussion Group. There’s nothing better than sharing your collecting passion with other like-minded people!

Toothpick Holders – Diminutive Beauties

Toothpick holders are proof that just because an object is designed for utilitarian purposes doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful as well.

Some of the most beautiful toothpick holders are made of porcelain or glass and can have very unique shapes and patterns, though there are some highly desirable sterling and silver plate examples as well. As with other types of antiques and collectibles, values range from extremely affordable to very pricey, depending on scarcity, craftsmanship, and desirability. Because the variety is so great, I’ll just cover a few basics here to get you started and include links to organizations with a lot of expertise.

Glass
In its day, Pressed glass, sometimes called Pattern glass, was less expensive and more durable than crystal, but it was still made to be attractive. (There seems to be some debate as to whether Sandwich glass is the same as Pressed glass; in talking to antique dealers, many said that it’s the same thing, while others said there was a difference in manufacturing. I still don’t have the definitive answer!)

According to the Early American Pattern Glass Society, manufacturers began making pressed glass around 1850, with the majority being produced during the Victorian era in the 1880s. It remained popular until about 1910, when people became more interested in buying crystal. But when the Depression hit and money was tight, pressed glass became the affordable choice. Renamed Depression glass, new patterns and colors were created and its popularity surged again.

Pressed glass, cut glass, and satin finish toothpick holders are all undeniably very attractive and can be found in a rainbow of colors including amberina, ruby, canary, cobalt, amethyst glass, and milk glass; these are but a few examples. While some people collect according to material, theme, or style, others collect toothpick holders according to manufacturer such as Fenton, Fostoria, Westmoreland, or Mt. Washington.

Porcelain
Fine porcelain manufacturers like Nippon and RS Prussia have turned out what I personally consider some of the most beautiful toothpick holders. These miniature works of art can be adorned with detailed hand-painted or transfer patterns and can have embossing, handles, and pedestals. According to an article by Sandy Raymond of the National Toothpick Holders Collectors Society (an excellent organization with a wealth of information for anyone interested in collecting these little gems!), toothpick holders made by RS Prussia come in several finishes, including lustre, matte, pearl, glossy, iridescent, pearlized, and satin. Two of the most sought after designs are scenes and portraits.

No matter what the material, toothpick holders can claim any number of shapes including miniature vases, pitchers, urns or even loving cups; some may have a character or animal attached to the holder itself, or take the form of an open-topped Toby. Regardless of the style, in the end, toothpick holders are as charming as they are appealing.

Check out Collector's Cottage for many examples of fine glass and porcelain pieces.

Detecting Repairs

If you’re going to spend your hard-earned money adding pieces to your collection, you want to be sure the pieces you choose are in the best condition possible. The better the condition, the higher the value. This is true across the board for both antiques and collectibles – condition is everything. To get the best for your money, you need to become a Repair Detective.

China, Porcelain, Pottery - You can find most unrepaired damage on china and pottery easily through touch and close visual inspection. But good repairs may be more difficult to spot. Look for variations in the color of the glaze, paint or pattern, which can indicate that someone tried to conceal a repair. Yellowing of old glue is another dead giveaway. You can also feel a difference between the original surface and the repaired area, even if it’s been painted or glazed over.

A black light is another method used to detect repairs. Holding the light up to the piece in a dark room should reveal the presence of adhesives through a different kind of “glow”; this is especially true with art repairs – Steve Wynn’s expensive mishap with his $139 million Picasso (now devalued by $54 million after he accidentally poked a hole in it with his elbow) has been professionally repaired and is said to only be detectable with a black light.

Some people also use the scratch test, where a pin is used to gently scratch the surface of the suspected repair. The original glaze will not have any “give”, but the repair will. Of course, this must be done with the permission of the dealer, as it will damage the repair.

Glass, Crystal – It can be more difficult to spot a small chip or crack on a heavily cut piece of glass or crystal. Carefully running your fingers over the surface will help you find inconsistencies in the pattern, which could indicate a chip. A good test for cracks is to carefully flick the edge of the piece with your fingernail – cracked pieces will sound more like a “thunk” than a “ring”.

On expensive pieces of any kind, it’s best to get a detailed receipt from the dealer, which includes not only the age of the piece, but also its condition and a money-back guarantee if the piece turns out not to be as it was represented. This way, if you get home and your black light test picks up an extremely fine hairline crack or the piece is appraised as a reproduction, you can return it (as long as it wasn’t sold “as is”). Professionals can tell the difference between old and new damage.

Always check online sellers' item descriptions for mention of damage. If none is mentioned, you can email a direct question to confirm the item's condition; this way you have it in writing. Honest sellers have no qualms about sharing this information.

You'll find complete descriptions of item conditions at Collector's Cottage; click on China & Porcelain and/or Glass links for examples.