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28 - Antique Shoppe - www.antiqueshoppefl.com
HOLLY HOPE S&P COLLECTION
Arkansas Assembled
By Larry LeMasters
LeMasters’ Antique News Service
Holly Hope, of Little Rock, AR,
collected miniature figurines as
a child, and began collecting
salt and pepper shakers (S&P
shakers) in her late 20s,
about 30 years ago. “I guess
I’m attracted to the delicacy
and whimsy of the older S&P
shakers, just as I was with the
figurines. S&P shakers appeal to
my weird sense of humor, and
the earlier ones display a
lot of detail, especially in
the eyes and mouths,” Hope
said.
Like many Baby Boomer
collectors, Hope’s first S&P
shaker was stolen from her
mother’s kitchen. “Mom had it
on her stove for as long as I can
remember, so when I first decided to collect
S&P shakers, Mom’s pig became the first in
my collection. Mom didn’t really care since the
partner shaker was gone. The pig had a happy
little face and cute eyebrows. I always liked the
pig’s little overalls when I was a child.”
It wasn’t until years later that Hope
learned her mother’s pig might never have
had a mate. Salt and pepper shakers have
a long and spicy history. The earliest salt
holders were Victorian cellars or small, open
bowls where people placed chipped rock salt.
To accompany cellars, pepper shakers were
invented. The earliest American homes had
only one shaker, and it was for pepper.
Actual saltshakers emerged as ceramic
ware came into its own, and decorative salt
and pepper shakers emerged in the late 1940s,
following WWII, as advances
in ceramics allowed
salt and pepper
shakers to take on
a variety of shapes,
designs, and character
images. Mass production
of these ceramic salt and
pepper shakers made
them affordable, and
women, desiring new
salt and pepper shakers,
made them collectible.
Holly Hope is such a woman.
The majority of Hope’s
collection is mass-produced, Made in Japan,
ceramic ware from the 1950s – early 1960s.
“I’m not sure of the age of a particular set,”
Hope said. “But the majority of them were
made in Japan, and some, I believe, date to the
1920s to ‘40s. I only have a couple of sets that
were made in ‘Occupied Japan,’ which greatly
increases their value.”
There are a variety of
reasons that women collect salt
and pepper shakers. Regardless
of why a collection began, there
are numerous good reasons to keep
on collecting: 1) as collectibles go, salt
and pepper shakers are relatively souvenir set at one time. “ Anybody that gifts me
inexpensive 2) many a salt and pepper shaker set truly knows
salt and pepper me,” Hope added, “and I consider them to
shakers are cross be thoughtful and considerate gifts.”
collectible, When antique hunting, Hope is attracted
adding to to S&P sets for their quirkiness. “I once read
their value that a collector should collect only what they
3) salt and pepper truly like since they may not be able to sell
shakers are nostalgic, their collection, so I only buy S&P sets that I
reminding collectors can’t live without. Flea markets provide tons
of past dinners with of fun when I happen across a shaker that
families and friends; makes me smile. I usually just peruse the
and 4) salt and pepper stalls with no particular set in mind. But
shakers are even when smiling, I haggle over prices.
small, I never spend over $10 for a S&P shaker
display set, which keeps them in the affordable
easily, and range.” Still, some of Hope’s sets are valued
require little much higher than $10. “I have four sets of
space. Shawnee Pottery S&P sets. The Shawnee Company
Hope displays her S&P was originally based in Zanesville, Ohio, and was
sets in a glass case in her dining active from 1937 to 1961. I have others that look
room. “I made an attempt at one like Shawnee, but I read that the size of the cork in
point to categorize them by the bottom is what identifies it as a true Shawnee, so
cats, dogs, pigs, birds, and I’ve become ‘cork conscious.’”
Shawnee, but at this point, Although Hope claims she never gives advice
there is no rhyme or reason to other collectors, she did offer this for novice
for where I place them.” As collectors, “The National Novelty Salt and Pepper
long as she and guests can see Shakers Collectors Club is an excellent way for
all of the details on each set, novice collectors to discover how rich the world of
Hope is happy. salt and peppershakers actually is. Its website is
While salt and pepper www.saltandpepperclub.com.”
shakers can be made of glass, For Holly Hope, collecting S&P shakers has
plastics, metal, or wood, most truly added spice into her life!
collectible salt and pepper shakers are
ceramic; however, Hope’s favorite S&P set
is made of chalk. “It is a chalk set depicting
a blonde woman playing an organ. What in
the world made the designer think of this? The
organist is wearing a long blue dress with gold
detail, and she nestles into the organ with her
arms extended to the keyboard. Her lips are
painted with red lipstick. The detail on the
organ includes individual pipes, keys and
sheet music. This is my only chalk set since they
tend to easily suffer from damage. Shown Left Side Top-Bottom: Fork and spoon running away
This set is in good together. There are no identifying marks on this pair, but they
condition, except retain their original corks. - A highly sculpted “Made in Japan”
for the tip of the organ grinder with small monkey. - An anthropomorphic
organist’s nose.” pineapple and turnip S&P set. Both are in good shape and
display stickers on the back reading UCACGO, United China and
Hope has many Glassware Company. - These “Made in Japan” wrestlers have
S&P sets that were gifts. original corks in their behinds.
One is a set of alligator Shown Right Side Top-Bottom: Monkey saltshaker sits atop a
shoes with the face of an banana pepper shaker. Both have original corks and “Made
in Japan” stickers. - Pig shaker that started Hope’s collection.
alligator. This set looks It was stolen from her mother’s kitchen. - A “Made in Japan”
as if it was a New Orleans lobster couple, with original corks, dressed in formal wear.