Spice Up Your Vintage Kitchen With Collectible Spice Tins

Spice tins are flying out of my shop "Kitsch n Stuff" (Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT) . I used to be able to pick up box lots of these advertising collectibles for pocket change. Now these products are hotter than ever. Even the very common ones are spiking in value. ($6.00-12.00 each), Unusual tins can start at $25.00 and climb to $100.00 and higher.

To be totally honest with you, I really can't explain to you how I come up with prices for these tiny treasures.

I just look at them with a decorators eye. Perhaps I really need to look at them with a collector's eye, but that is not how I do it. I look at the color palette (red and yellow are good sellers), the graphics, the condition (I'm not a fan of rust and dents) but serious collectors who are after rare ones don't mind the blemishes.

If you come across a spice tin that you haven't seen before, it's best to pause and do some research. You may just have discovered a valuable advertising tin. There are many priice guides that are available to consult further. You can also take a look online and view completed sales on online auctions such as eBay and others.

Another excellent site to visit is www.Iantiqueonline.com. Here thousand of members can weigh in on what you have found. (I am the editor of this site).

Back to how I evaluate spice tins ......Ii think about how the average retro or vintage kitchen collector thinks. What are they after? They want something cute to sit on a shelf in their kitchen. Some even want to finish a particular series, like all nutmeg tins or all Durkee brands etc. For them collecting is like a game of cards and they are after suits! Serious collectors in contrast may want the very old manufacturers or very unusual graphics.

I'm in the general category and so are most of my buyers...I buy affordable spice tins that I can sell for fair prices. This is not to say that if a collection of special tins came my way for the right price I wouldn't buy them. Dream on. I mostly find the garden variety.

Tins shown here are from the private collection of Kathy Hotchkiss.


C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:
C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com


Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.