Have you ever wanted to start a collection for yourself but did not have the funds or space to house
one?? This is the collectible for you!! Pie birds take up small amounts of space and bring huge returns in the delight you get from the different kinds. Pie birds have been around since the Victorian era. They started out life as "pie funnels" and were a chimney shaped contraption that you placed in the center of a pie to allow steam to escape, thus keeping the pie from boiling over in the oven. They later morphed into bird shapes and were called Pie Birds. Same concept as the funnel but more fun to collect because of the imagination of so many different artists. You can identify a pie bird by a couple of different characteristics. The first is they will always have some type of a hole in the top somewhere; either the top of
the piece or the mouth as you see in the one to the right. Secondly, they will usually have a slight elevation to the bottom edge of the base. This is to allow the juices to flow through. You may occasionally find one without this indention but not too often. In that case, just know that if you turn it upside down, you should see a completely hollow space. If you see a small hole that a cork would fit into, you have a shaker and not a pie bird. There are so many wonderful artists out there it is difficult to say where to start collecting! Usually, you can pick up a common pie bird for about $10 - $20 or so. The prices will go steeper if they are quality vintage or a well known artist. For example, Stuart Bass is one of my favorite pie bird designers. He hand paints his birds and uses a wonderful glaze that gives them real depth. He has retired as of June of 2015 so his pie birds have sky rocketed in value. You can expect to pay
anywhere from $70 and up for his. An example of his work is "Bill the Waiter" to your left. He did a lot of "series" work with different occupations, animals, senior citizens, etc. You will find his pieces signed "S. Bass". Not all pie birds are signed by their designer but many are. A few more that I am partial to are Babbacombe, Adrian, Sammie Roberts, Rachel Bass (Stuart Bass's daughter who is a wonderful artist in her own right), etc. Start looking for them and you will be pleasantly surprised at how many are out there! Just a side note, if you are busy planning your weekend, make sure you take time to visit Aurora! This weekend is the Aurora Colony Days celebration (August 13, 2016). The antique dealers in this town all set up sidewalk and street canopies with tons of wonderful merchandise. We at South End Antique mall also bring the sale outside! We have vendors who are already setting up their canopies for special items for the sale. Prices are 10% off store wide and many vendors offer even deeper cuts. Aurora Colony Days is Saturday only but we keep the fun going by staying open for the sale both Saturday and Sunday (Aug 13th & 14th). While you are here, check out our collection of pie birds!!
The little bird on the left is called the 'Pillsbury Pie Bird" and is vintage. The blackbirds coming out of a pie on the right are Stuart Bass. Pictured
below are some more Bass, Roberts and an Adrian.
The traditions of tea time have been around for centuries. The special implements, pots, cups,etc., used to enhance the ceremony have grown and changed throughout the centuries. Manufacturers have created some of the most inspirational porcelains, ceramics,stoneware, and silver settings. You could get lost for years in creating your own collection! It does not matter if it is a formal set or an informal piece for just one, they are all beautiful and represent something special that we don't find a lot of these days. Specifically, time to spend just relaxing and sharing with friends and family. A pot of tea or a hot mug of coffee in a quiet setting is priceless (add a good book and it can't be beat)! Creating those special table settings can become a full time hobby and very rewarding to share with others. The beautiful pots and cups are not just for tea anymore; coffee has a permanent place on our entertaining tables and their own set of special collectibles. Cream and sugar sets abound! Depression glass, porcelain, pottery, etc., they come in just about any style and for any taste. If casual is more to your liking, take a look at some of the English and
American pottery pieces. The little elephant creamer to the right is Shawnee and the little cottage creamer at the left is made in England. They both have great style and add interest to any table setting! Mix and match your table setting with "orphan" teacups. Those are the ones hanging around in your cupboard with a missing saucer. Match them up with saucers that are not original to the cup but maybe carry some of the same colors. Be daring and just forget the saucer!
