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Rooster cookie jars combine two popular collectible themes; roosters and cookie jars. There have been hundreds of styles created over the years but they were most popular in the late 1940s through the 1960s.
Examples of Rooster Cookie Jars
Many companies created cookie jars depicting roosters and chickens. The cookie jars from the more popular potteries like McCoy will normally be priced higher than those from the lesser known manufacturers.
- The popular McCoy vintage rooster cookie jar was first depicted in 1956. This beautiful jar features a small light brown rooster with a red comb and wattles. It appears to be gazing up at the sky, perhaps getting ready to crow.
- This Farco cookie jar is an excellent example of a circa 1939 to 1949 rooster themed cookie jar.
- A DeForest of California hen cookie jar of unknown age is a beautiful example of this theme.
Today, the rooster motif can be seen in a variety of cookie jars. Clear glass cookie jars with etchings of a rooster are very popular. Embossed cookie jars are also currently popular, and they may be painted using primary colors, depicting the rooster on the lids as well as on the sides of the ceramic jars.
Where to Find Cookie Jars
Rooster cookie jars can be hard to find, especially if you don't know where to start looking. These elusive jars were very popular in the 1950's and 1960's, so finding one can be difficult. Places to look for vintage finds include:
- Estate sales
- Salvation Army
- Flea markets
- Auctions
- Collector meets
- Antique shops
Places to find vintage as well as new rooster cookie jars on the Internet include:
Collector Clubs
Another way to learn about cookie jars is to join a cookie jar collecting club. These clubs meet and discuss their hobby. Additionally, you may even meet someone who has some rooster cookie jars they want to sell or trade. Cookie jar collecting clubs can educate collectors about appraising techniques, which is very important when paying large amounts for a vintage cookie jar. Knowing about maker's marks can save you money when purchasing highly collectible items. Collector clubs also assist members in learning how to spot fakes and how to determine the correct value of a cookie jar.
Collector Guides
Collector guides, such as item price guides and identification guides are key part of a rooster cookie jar collector's library. Collector guides to help you with this hobby include:
- Collector's Encyclopedia of Cookie Jars by Fred & Herndon Roerig
- An Illustrated Value Guide to Cookie Jars by Ermagene Westfall
- The Ultimate Collector's Encyclopedia of Cookie Jars by Fred & Joyce Roerig
- Warman's Cookie Jars by Mark Moran
- The Wonderful World of Cookie Jars by Mark & Ellen Supnick
Many of these guides provide color illustrations and photographs, which make it easy to identify cookie jars you may already own, or ones that you are checking out at an auction.
Cookie Jar Collections
Collecting rooster cookie jars can be a fun hobby, especially if you already have a country home theme.
Before you begin collecting, be sure to learn as much about collecting cookie jars as possible. This will help you to learn how to spot fakes, vintage collectibles and correct pricing of cookie jars whether you choose antiques, vintage, or reproduction items.