Salt and Pepper Shakers Decor

Charming vintage made in Japan turkey hen and gobbler salt and pepper shakers. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Salt and Pepper Shakers Decor

When I was traveling a lot for work, I used to get my exercise walking through nearby antique shops. It was a good distraction from the busy, mentally-challenging days and I enjoyed getting distracted by the vintage items.

One year, as I was dashing between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I decided I didn’t want to miss out on decorating but had to come up with something quick and small. At one of the antique malls in Washington D.C., I found a couple of ceramic figurines I could sneak under a tiny Christmas tree on my desk. To my surprise, I discovered they were salt and pepper shakers that spent a few weeks on my Milwaukee, Wisconsin office desk until I could get them, and myself, back home.

I don’t know about you but I was used to seeing salt and pepper shakers as tourist souvenirs with the names of a town on them. The fact that I could find some I liked that didn’t have writing on them was a delightful discovery.

Once home, I found I could easily pair them up with my collection of vintage framed post cards I change out through the year, quickly giving me a seasonal vignette with frankly very little effort.

Now that I work full-time at home, I can’t tell you how many years those postcards and salt and pepper shakers have given me joy and helped me mark the passing of time. They are a good reminder to not only enjoy the moment and celebrate the season but also to appreciate the good fortune of being alive and well. It’s a reminder some of us need from time to time.

And it’s not just any salt and pepper shaker. It has to be ones that do one very special thing - make me smile.

A few of my salt and pepper shakers that bring a smile when I see them. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Although most are offered in pairs, I have several single salt or pepper shakers just because I like them. One of the first ones I added to my collection was this vintage mouse eating cheese.

Possibly my favorite salt shaker, a vintage mouse eating cheese. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I also like salt and pepper shakers that are not a matched set. This rabbit pepper shaker, for example, helps to welcome Easter holding a pretty big carrot salt shaker.

Rabbit with carrot salt and pepper shaker set. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

And who could pass up these dapper ceramic cats playing music?

Musician cat salt and pepper shakers from my collection. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The salt and pepper shakers make sense to have in a kitchen and they also make quick decor in bathrooms and other small spaces. Don’t forget a working office desk where you don’t want a lot of clutter but still want a little holiday spirit.

They are also easy to change out and to store. My whole collection fits in 4 shoe boxes.

So which is which? In case you want to add salt and pepper so you can use the shakers, the salt one has the least amount of holes, one, maybe two. The pepper shaker has the most, usually three or four holes.

As I was shopping for a basket for one of my cats at a local thrift store today, I came across this charming vintage set of ceramic salt and pepper shakers from Japan. I love the turkey colors and the fact that the little hen is very much her own distinct shaker. They are the latest additions to my little collection.

This vintage salt and pepper shaker set has two distinct ceramic figures. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The vintage turkey salt and pepper shakers are now sitting in the place of honor in my kitchen, welcoming me and anyone else who may come in. Visitors who have plopped down at my kitchen island inevitably get drawn to this little tableaux, often commenting on the vintage postcard and sometimes peeking at the bottom of the salt and pepper shakers. There is something about these little ceramic pieces that makes one want to pick them up.

When shopping for vintage, always check the bottom for any distinguishing mark. Yes it does add value but to me it also contributes to the story of where and when the salt and pepper shakers were made.

These vintage turkey salt and pepper shakers date from the 1960s-1970s. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I was thinking if you can still find some, these would be fun to give as a gift that one could add to every year. You don’t need a lot and they can easily be stored without taking up a lot of room. I keep mine organized by seasons so I don’t have to paw through shoe boxes looking for ones that are appropriate for the season.

The vintage turkeys salt and pepper shakers will soon make way for a Christmas theme, then the snowmen couple will keep me company in January. So easy to change them out and still keep a seasonal vibe going.

I found this reindeer one last year on sale after the Christmas season at a local thrift store. It reminded me of one of my favorite holiday throws, Reindeer Games Throw and Quilted Wall Hanging. That look on the reindeer salt shaker also reminds me of some of the dog friends I have, especially after they have done something they should not have done.

Doesn’t this little reindeer with an ornament on its head make you smile? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

One of my antique collecting friends recently said people don’t collect cookie jars and salt and pepper shakers any more. I told her I can understand cookie jars, they take up a lot of space but there still is room for special salt and pepper shakers.

Charlotte