Cookie Jars

My grandmother, who we called Mere, loved cookies.  She liked butter cookies, shortbreads, spice cookies, thumbprints, etc.  She liked cookies almost as much as my husband, who is truly a "cookie monster!"  My grandmother was born and spent a lot of her childhood in England.  I can imagine her at tea time with tea and a dainty plate of cookies.  After I was married, I wanted to have a cookie jar in my kitchen, one that I could keep filled for my husband.  I wanted a cookie jar like Mere's.  I don't remember much about the jar, except it always had cookies in it and it had a cookie design around the bottom. 

Mere, as a young woman and sooo pretty!

At my wedding with my two grandmothers.  Mere is on the right.  You can definitely see where I get my lack of height!

I was so happy to find this cookie jar at Hudson's (then Marshall Field's, then Macy's).  The design was like Mere's.  And even better, the opening was large enough to hold really BIG cookies, and it had a secure top to keep the cookies fresh....SOLD!

My Mom also always had a cookie jar, and yes, it was usually full of cookies!  In fact, she still has a cookie jar that she keeps filled for my husband.  Whenever we visit her, he heads straight for the jar to see what kind of cookies she made for him!  She gave me this Little Red Riding Hood cookies jar quite a while ago and hence, my little collection was started!

A number of companies were making these Little Red Riding Hood cookie jars in the 1940's.  They have become very collectible.  There are a number of websites about how to determine if you own a "real" collectible or a fake.  As it turns out, mine is real.  (Thanks, Mom) This Little Red Riding Hood cookie jar was made by Regal China.  A few of the companies made blanks, and then they were painted, decorated, and fired by many companies.  This is why they are so similar.  The makers mark on the bottom along with the decorating details of the cookie jar and its condition determine its value. My cookie jar is considered a "closed basket, three poppy" jar.  Since it is in great condition (no scratches, no chips, etc) it is valued at about $500.  Pretty good, huh?  However, if it was a "Hull" it would be worth about $1000.  Pretty interesting.  Anyway, I really love this jar, it is my only "vintage" cookie jar!

Since I had two cookie jars, I started noticing others.  I began collecting cookie jars to remind me of great vacations, good memories, or just jars that I really liked.

This cookie jar is Mrs. Potts, from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast."  I bought it during our first and only visit to Walt Disney World.  We had a great time there; it truly is a Magical Kingdom!

This hand painted cookie jar is a Delft Cookie jar made in Holland, Michigan.  We bought it during the annual Tulip Festival.

I just love this jar because I loved the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans TV show.  Happy childhood memories!  Happy Trails to you....until we meet again....

The Muppets were a big part of our life when our kids were little.  Both kids had their favorite Muppet, but we all loved Miss Piggy!

This reminds me of the seasons of Michigan; the baby goslings in the spring and the geese flying south in the fall.

Minnie Mouse was a gift.   She just makes me smile.  I loved the Mickey Mouse show and all the mouseketeers.  It was an after school routine when I was little.

Yes, I love Oreos, especially frozen double stuffed Oreos!  They don't last very long in our house.

I keep our cookies jars lined up on a shelf near our kitchen.  When my son's friends came over they would go down the line opening the jars to see which, if any, had cookies inside.  Sometimes they were very happy, at other times, not so much!

I made this cookie jar when I was going to pottery classes.  I am hoping to get back to it one of these days and would love to have my own pottery wheel and kiln.  Ahhhhh, Dreams!

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was the first animated Disney movie that I saw.  We saw it at a small movie theater near our grandparents cottage during summer vacation.  Another wonderful memory!

                                   These are my winter/ Christmas cookie jars.

                                                                   Snowman #1

                                                               Snowman #2

                                                                 Good Old Santa

This is one of my favorite cookie jars, because my daughter played the part of Cinderella in the musical production of Cinderella during high school and my son was one of the mice during a community production of a "spoof" of Cinderella.  You can see the mice near the Fairy God mother.  More great memories!

Collecting cookie jars is not unique, there are many beautiful and amazing cookie jars available.  I have seen collections that are all Disney, or all vintage, or are all in the same color tones.  Each collection is valuable to the owner for many different reasons. My husband likes them for the cookies inside!!

Hope you have a great day!