The Vintage Cookie Jar Set To Look For At Thrift Stores

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Cookie jars have been a staple in American kitchens for generations. Whether you store cookies in your grandma's stoneware crock, showcase your "Star Wars" loyalty with an R2-D2 one, or prefer the classic "Little Red Riding Hood" jar, everyone has a memory of this kitschy decor that's become a special tradition. And thrift stores are a great place to pick up retro kitchenware, including vintage cookie jars. 

Savvy thrifters and collectors alike know two of the rarest, most valuable, and most coveted jars to stumble upon in the wild are pig-shaped. Few containers have made as big an impact or stolen as many collectors' hearts as Shawnee Pottery Company's Smiley and Winnie. The Ohio-based company released the whimsical pig cookie jars in the 1940s, and they are as popular now as they were then, fetching hundreds online.

Until its closure in 1961, Shawnee was known for its fun, colorful pottery, from intricate ceramic fish planters to elephant creamers or squirrel ashtrays. Still, its cookie jars were always its biggest seller. Smiley, the boy pig jar, was made by Shawnee designer Rudy Ganz around 1942 and sold at Sears, Woolworth, and Kresge. His companion Winnie, who always wore a hat and a dress, came along two years later. Each had a variety of outfits and designs. If you can identify the variation types and what to look for, you may be able to root out your own pig cookie jar at your local thrift store.

Smiley and Winnie are quite the charming cookie jars. With cheerful expressions and rosy cheeks, the pair looks like they've just enjoyed a cookie or two. And their outfits give them plenty of old-school personality and charm. Smiley usually sports overalls with different designs and colors, from green clovers to pastel flowers, pinkish blossoms, and blue and yellow wildflowers, all with matching bandanas. There's also a plain white ceramic Smiley cookie jar. Winnie usually wears a frilly dress with a ruffle collar, a purse, and a floral hat in blue, red, and green. One design features Smiley and Winnie in deep brown outfits with green accessories. That pair is listed for $375 on eBay.

Smiley and Winnie cookie jars range from $50 to $500 on second-market sites, depending on condition, rarity, and pattern. However, treasure hunters have been able to track them down in the wild. This thrifter recently found a Smiley with the green clover design at a Goodwill. While Smiley and Winnie are overflowing with sweetness and charm, don't rely on their adorable faces alone to identify authenticity once you find one on a shelf. Check the bottom of each jar for identifying marks, such as a "Shawnee U.S.A." etching or simply "U.S.A." Item numbers are also inscribed on the bottom. And while you're scouting these cookie jars, be on the lookout for other Winnie and Smiley ceramics, including piggy banks, salt-and-pepper shakers, and pitchers.