Beanie Babies were manufactured specifically for the collectors market as were many other things. Salt and pepper shakers however had a purpose and were not originally made to be collectible. The difference being that antique and vintage salt and pepper shakers hold their value while Beanie Babies did not.
Brief History of Meissen Porzellan
Porcelain has been around since the Tang Dynasty in China, which lasted from 618-907 AD. It is the reason that porcelain settings at a dinner table are called China. However, some of the most beautiful porcelain in
the world is produced in Europe, where porcelain kilns and factories started to spread in the 1500’s. One of the most famous
porcelain names and collectors’ favorite is Meissen Porzellan of Germany.
By value, I not only mean monetarily, but sentimental as well. How many of us remember this set of iron salt and pepper shakers sitting on grandma's table?.
I remember those and others and I also remember being told to leave them alone, that they weren't toys. My aunt had a set of the vintage maracas salt and pepper shakers like the ones below, and I would always get in trouble for those.
We know how sentimental these are for us older folks, but how do you put a monetary value on antiques and or vintage collectibles. The answer to that is that there is no set standard for pricing thest things. Sure you can go on precedent, you saw them somewhere else for a certain price so that must be what they sell for. In actuality, the price for an antique or collectible is what a person is willing to pay for them.
Take a look at the vintage counter soda salt and pepper shakers. If I price them at $25, someone may come along and say "oh, those are cute, but not for $25." While a vintage collector may come by, recognize their uniqueness and rarity and gladly pay the $25. It's all a matter of perception and what the market will bare. The sentimentalist will come by and may pay even more, because it reminds them of grandma.
This vintage salt and pepper shaker to the right holds a special place in my heart. Some of you are not old enough to remember these old black and white TV sets from the 60's, with only 3 stations to watch... oh the struggle was real. You needed and antenna to recieve the signal and sometimes you had to add tin foil to the antenna to get better reception. I remember watching 'rassling with my Dad.
Below are more examples are some more whimsical vintage collectible salt and pepper shakers. As you can see, a lot of times they came in the forms of animals and household items. The thing about thes is that appeal to many different collectors. They may appeal to the salt and pepper shaker collectors, they may appeal to animal figurine collectors or they may appeal whimsical item collectors, and yet they all will have a different price on what they will pay for the collectible.
Vintage salt and pepper shaker collectors, may or may not also collect vintage salt cellars. Salt cellars had been used from ancient Rome until about mid-50s, when salt and pepper shakers started to become popular
Salts cellars are also know as just salts and they come in different shapes, sizes, lidded, glass, or porcelain. Again, their worth is determined what someone is willing to pay for them. Here are a few glass ones that I have in my current collection.