Blog to The World

In
a time when owning a collection is as popular as playing video games,
novelty salt and pepper shakers have taken their place as collector’s
items in the hearts of folklore and history enthusiasts. Salt and
pepper are dinner-table staples in the United States, sprucing up the
flavor of everything from pasta to potatoes to tomatoes, even as high
blood pressure problems run rampant.

Those
who enjoy collecting novelty salt and pepper shakers will be happy to
know that there are plenty of groups online dedicated to keeping such
history alive. There is such a large variety of styles and designs
out there waiting to be found that categorizing them is a difficult
and time-consuming task. Below is a small sample of the kinds of salt
and pepper shakers that have been produced. Many styles are decades
old, and all are unique.

*Nodders:
Reminiscent of the modern Bobbleheads, Nodders are usually composed
of two sections. The lower piece has protruding triangular-shaped
places to set the figure part of the shaker. Birds and other animals
are often subjects of this kind of novelty salt and pepper shaker.
When they’re touched, the Nodders bobble about as if on a spring.

*Minis:
These tiny salt and pepper shakers range in size from a half of an
inch to two inches. Minis were popular in the 1950s.

*Huggers:
Another obvious category, and easy to recognize. This is a set of two
individual pieces that ‘hug’ each other. Two children hugging on a
bench is a very popular design, but there are other hugger styles.

*Hangers:
These novelty salt and pepper shakers hang from a third piece, called
the base. There are some varieties of hangers that use one shaker as
both the base and one part of the set.

*Stackers:
There is a huge variety of these style salt and pepper shakers. One
of the shakers sits on the other, without touching anything else.
Some sets have multiple layers, making them quite interesting to look
at.

*Bench
sitters: Easy to differentiate, bench sitters are usually made of two
individual figurines, both with knees bent, that sit easily on a
bench, considered the third piece.

There
are numerous other varieties of novelty salt and pepper shakers,
including the carriers/cart style, and condiment sets, which have
salt and pepper shakers with creamers and other kitchenware included.

Longboys
(more than 6 inches long) and Tallboys (more than 6 inches tall)
categorize shakers by size and shape, and mechanical salt and pepper
shakers indicate the presence of moveable parts that assist in
dispensing the spices. These can be quite simple pendulum movements,
or a more complicated lighting or walking pattern.

Novelty
salt and pepper shakers have given collectors around the world a
glimpse into the creative potential of many countries, both past and
present, and there’s no indication that people will stop producing
them.