Cookie jars houses make a charming addition to your kitchen décor. They can be found in almost any architectural or whimsical style, and depending upon your choice of a cookie jar house, they can be affordable as well!
A True Cookie Jar House
When thinking about a cookie jar house, typically we think of small porcelain or glass houses used to store cookies. One individual took the love of cookie jars houses one step further by creating a house in the style of a cookie jar. John Dobbins of Glendora, New Jersey has a home that is in the style of a circular shaped cookie jar, complete with a widow's walk "lid." The outside is made of brick, and the inside of the "jar" has a spiral staircase.
The only problems the Dobbins family has had are finding furniture to work in the circular shaped building and getting furniture up the circular staircase. Neighbors have enjoyed the house decorations through the years, but their favorite was when the house was decorated as a gigantic jack-o-lantern.
Collecting Cookie Jars Houses
You don't have to turn your home into a cookie jar in order to love cookie jars houses and collect them. People choose these types of cookie jars because they remind them of previous homes, nostalgia, or simply personal taste. Favorite house types include:
- Gingerbread houses
- Clear glass houses
- Faux birdhouses
- Halloween haunted houses
- House trailers and RVs
- Lighthouses
- Schoolhouses
- Village style houses
- Castles
Of course, there are even more types of houses, many of which are fanciful or based on actual architectural style homes, such as Queen Anne or a French chateau. There are definitely cookie jars house to suit every taste.
Where to Find Jar Houses
Finding cookie jars houses can be very easy, even for newbie collectors. Since this type of cookie jar is one of the most popular styles of jar, you many find them just about anywhere, including your favorite retail store. Used and antique cookie jars can be found in many places such as:
- Salvation Army
- eBay
- Estate auctions
- Flea markets
- Garage and church sales
- U Bid
Used cookie jars, especially ones with minor defects from wear, can be found for $20 or less. There are a few special jars that will command higher prices. Typically these jars are made by certain manufacturers and have superior workmanship. Manufacturers that make jars, which command high prices include:
- McCoy (Wren birdhouse can command $120 or more)
- Fitz & Floyd (their Halloween houses can fetch as much as $150 or more)
- Radko jars
Luckily for many collectors the price range for the majority are well below $30 for a beautiful house, including antique and vintage ones.
A Cookie Jar Education
Collecting any item can be expensive, especially to the uninitiated. Learning about your hobby is an important part of the process, especially when it comes to collecting something that values scarcity and perfection. Of course, you may always collect cookie jars, imperfections and all, and still have a great collection. If you want to collect them to sell in the future for a profit, learning as much as you can about the items you are collecting will keep more money in your pocket.
Books written on the subject of cookie jar collecting include the following collector favorites:
- Collector's Encyclopedia of Cookie Jars by Fred and Joyce Roerig
- The Wonderful World of Cookie Jars by Mark and Ellen Supnick
- An Illustrated Value Guide to Cookie Jars by Ermagene Westfall
Fellow Collectors
You don't have to collect alone, really! There are national as well as local cookie jar collector clubs. Meet fellow enthusiasts to learn and perhaps trade favorite jars. Meeting topics can include learning values and appropriate pricing, selling and the care of your jars. National cookie jar collector groups are:
Online clubs also exist, many of which meet or chat on Internet provider websites such as AOL or Earthlink. Check with your IP to see if they have any newsgroups, newsletters or chat meetings for you to join fellow cookie jar collectors.
