5 Sought-After Vintage Collectables For Your Kitchen

If your passion for vintage homeware is as strong as ours here at Country Living, then you'll be as equally fascinated by the backstory of the most sought-after collectables – when they were first made, how they have evolved over time and why they've become loved by so many.

After all, this all adds to the charm and appeal, to see the signs of use before it became ours with the knowledge it has stood the test of time in both style and quality. For it is the patina, the longevity and the nostalgia that makes vintage homewares ever so desirable.

We're drawn to building a style from the past in the present.

"Growing up, I had a fascination for a number of things in my grandmother's rambling farmhouse. I especially loved the tins emblazoned with bright branding or kitsch paintings of kittens that I discovered in her Formica kitchen cabinet and the intriguing collection of Observer's books lining her shelves," says Michele Jameson, editor of Country Living's Vintage Home Bookazine.

"A few decades on and and the enthusiasm is still there – my own house now has those very same tins and books, plus an eclectic mix of other pre-loved finds that I've picked up over the years from flea markets, antiques stores and car-boot sales."

Here's a deeper dive into five of the most sought-after vintage collectables for your kitchen.

Enamelware

Photo Getty Images; Johner Images

Enamelware conjures up nostalgic memories of childhood camping trips and summer picnics, but its origins started in the kitchen.

During the late 1800s, manufacturers realised that glass, fused onto metal, could produce a non-stick, robust surface, perfect for cooking and hot liquids. Enamelware proved an instant hit as a lightweight, inexpensive alternative to cast-iron and copper pans, without the fragility of china or pottery. By the 1930s, it had become popular not only for the home but also outdoor cooking, institutions and military kitchens.

People remain devoted to the simplicity and cheerful functionality of enamelware. Its hardwearing nature has meant that many items have been handed down between generations or snapped up by vintage collectors. There’s a vast array of kitchenware to choose from – bread bins to pie tins, mugs to ladles – in a rainbow of bold colours and patterns, including swirls, speckles and mottling.

Vintage enamelware is becoming more collectable. Rare patterns, colours and shapes can command high prices, as do the early, heavier pre-1940 pieces, but whatever you collect, condition is key. Avoid badly chipped, burnt or scratched items as investment pieces. Or if you want the ‘look’ but would rather buy new, companies such as Falcon, which has made enamelware since 1920, still produce everyday vintage designs (Falcon Enamelware).

What to look for

Two periods of enamelware are more generally collectable than others – pre-1940 and mid-century Scandinavian designs.
Date by weight – pre-1940 pieces are noticeably heavier than later versions.
Tap the bottom. If it sounds ‘tinny’, it’s likely to be a cheaper, late-20th-century reproduction.
Early pieces may have makers’ marks or date marks. Most, however, will be unmarked.
Colour can be a clue to place of origin – white with navy trim is usually English, cream with green trim from Sweden, and speckled ‘graniteware’ is American.
Enamel designs of the 1960s have become coveted collectables, particularly Scandinavian makers such as Cathrineholm and Kockums.
Avoid pieces with large chips if you wish to use them – they can’t be restored or eaten from safely, but are lovely to display.
As an example, approximate prices are £5 for a mug or ladle, £50 for a bread bin and £500 for a Cathrineholm mid-century teapot.

Tolix chairs

Photo House of Pictures; Pernilla Wästberg

Synonymous with café culture, Chaise A by Tolix was created in 1927 by Xavier Pauchard in his French factory, and was so called because it was the first design he came up with. Drawing on his background as a third-generation zinc roofer, Pauchard launched a company producing furniture from sheet metal after discovering that he could galvanise steel (dipping it in molten zinc) to protect it from rust. Along with drainage holes in the seat, this made Chaise A suitable for use outside. The design also featured a crossbar beneath for added strength.

Later, to meet the needs of the hospitality industry, Pauchard made the chair stackable. Prized for its robustness and practicality, it went on to be used in factories, hospitals and schools – and even on ships.

In more recent times, it has been appreciated as much for its industrial good looks as for its functionality – Terence Conran championed it in the 1980s and 1990s – and it is as likely to serve as an indoor dining chair as alfresco seating. Such is its place in design history that the Tolix chair is held in the permanent collections of museums worldwide, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

What to look for

The Tolix chair is still manufactured (and available in a wide colour palette) at the original factory in Burgundy. The original Tolix Chaise A chair was made in stainless steel and some limited-edition reds, but slightly later ones are in other colours. See Tolix for contemporary examples.
There are many copies available on Etsy, Ebay and in vintage stores, generally described as ‘Inspired by…’ or ‘Tolix style’, but some are attributed to Tolix incorrectly.
Eventually, but not early on, ‘Tolix’ was embossed on the back of the genuine chairs; for those without, request a date from the seller.
Be aware of other chair designs by Tolix: the Model B Tolix chair features a rounder back and slimmer feet than Chaise A; and Model C has rounded armrests.
Expect to pay around £100 for a vintage Chaise A in good condition.
Consider purchasing other original items from the Tolix stable, such as low stools (expect to pay around £600 for a set of four) or bar stools, to complement the chairs.
Tolix produced a children’s range, featuring stools as well as chairs.

Glass preserving jars

vintage table with vintage jars, jugs and plant pots on top with a collection of vintage botanical prints stuck to the wall behind

Symbolic of the urge to forage hedgerow fruits or tend vegetables and preserve the harvest, glass storage jars are inextricably linked to the good life and country lifestyles – add to that the fact that the item is vintage, and that previous generations have used it for their own endeavours, and the romance of collecting old pieces grows. Imagine a pantry or shelf full of gleaming jars, too…

Due to the fragile nature of glass, many pieces break before they even become vintage, so it’s not a plentiful product, but there are some beautiful old jars to be had. Clip-top designs are especially iconic: French firm Le Parfait is famous for these and has been manufacturing its range of glass containers in north-east France since the 1930s. Established in 1842, English manufacturer Kilner is well-known for its jars with its patented vacuum-seal system (developed in 1900), and the metal disk and screw band design (introduced in the 1960s). American company Mason, founded in the 1850s, is another big name in jar manufacturing – famous for its early invention of a screw-top lid with rubber interior, replacing the only previous way to seal a jar, which was a messy technique involving cork, wax and boiling.

What to look for

Take time to examine vintage jars thoroughly before purchasing – any cracks or chips could compromise both their worth and usefulness.
The seals on old jars and other accessories are likely to have perished; replacements are available through catering supply firm Nisbets.
A set of six French canning jars by Le Parfait (two-litre) from the 1960s recently sold for £65.
Look for Kilner’s Ravenhead jars, which are unusual due to their flat glass lids that seal on top with the red plastic collars or screw bands keeping them in place. A one-pint, 1970s type sold on Ebay recently for £12.
Keep an eye out for novelty items. Unusual designs include a collection of four Mason jars featuring a cartoon of a crocodile and the name ‘Swamp Water’ (actually pineapple juice) that recently sold for £50 on Ebay; a set of three 1960s Le Parfait jars featuring cartoon scenes of bears and bees fetched around £40.
Mason produced aqua-tinted glass by accident in its early days, but it became much sought-after. The company has reissued the coloured edition.

Formica Furniture

formica leaf end table set up for tea and cake in a softy retro styled kitchen

Formica laminate is synonymous with mid-century glamour and optimism. This wipe-clean, practical material transformed interior design from the 1940s, coating kitchen worktops, tables and other surfaces with its playful colours and dazzling patterns.

Its invention, in the early 20th century, was revolutionary. Formica started life as a material for electrical insulation (it debuted on the Queen Mary, which was built in 1934), but the company soon recognised its potential as a robust, heat-resistant surface that could be applied to everything from clocks and cabinets to stackable school furniture. The secret was in its construction – layers of paper laminated with resin – which allowed Formica to release cutting-edge printed colours and patterns.

After the privations of the Second World War, the public wanted bright colours, exotic designs and sleek modernism. Laminate fever took hold – patterns with cheerfully tempting names such as Spindrift, Skylark and Softglow captured homeowners’ imaginations and other manufacturers soon followed suit. For the vintage home decorator, few items are now as unapologetically retro or undeniably cool.

What to look for

Two books give a sense of design trends and patterns: Formica Forever by Mark Adamson and Formica & Design by Susan Grant Lewin.
Pinterest has a useful collection of historic swatches, furniture and mid-century adverts – search for ‘Vintage Formica’. You can now also shop on Pinterest and Instagram.
See what counts as collectible by checking out vintage specialist retailers such as Pamono and Vinterior.
Favourites include small drop-leaf tables (£50-£100), kitchen chairs (£30-£80) and coffee tables (£100- £150) in popular canary yellow, red, baby blue and pale grey.
Some pieces are evocative of mid-century design – hostess trolleys and folding bar carts, multi-level or triangular side tables and kitchen cabinets.
Laminate furniture is ubiquitous enough to still be found cheaply at Preloved, ebay and Gumtree. Charity furniture stores are a goldmine – find one near you at British Red Cross, British Heart Foundation and Emmaus.
Light scratches and small chips can be mended with laminate repair paste. Colorfill has about 500 colours to choose from.

Le Creuset

beachy kitchen with reclaimed wooden cabinet fronts, zinc splashback and opening shelving

These cast-iron icons of French cuisine are heavyweights in terms of durability, style and popularity as well as actual mass (they are far from easy on the wrist). The brand takes its name from the creuset, or crucible, into which molten metal is poured.

Beautiful to cook with as well as serve from and prized for their efficient heat retention, the much-loved cocottes, or French ovens, are associated with casseroles and pot roasts. Even Marilyn Monroe was a fan: her Elysees Yellow collection was auctioned at Christie’s in New York for $25,300 (around £20,000).

Founded in 1925 by two industrialists looking to create colourful cookware, the company still operates from its original foundry in northern France. In 1958, industrial designer Raymond Loewy created a range of streamlined models with handles in place of the traditional knobs. These were reissued recently in limited edition, but it’s the curvier designs and the signature Volcanic colour – the first to be created by the brand – that remain the favourites. The company offers a guarantee that its pots will last the lifetime of their original owner, as long as used only for normal cooking. And happily, with the exception of rare pieces, vintage Le Creuset cookware can be more affordable than its contemporary equivalent.

What to look for

Le Creuset offers advice to anyone unsure of the authenticity of products purporting to be genuine and is happy to assist in verification; visit Le Creuset or call 0800 373792.
Beware of pans with worn-away enamel on the inside – cooking directly on the exposed cast iron is harmful to health. On the other hand, a brown-black patina created by cooking fats is fine. If buying online, request images of the interior.
A Primrose Yellow 4.8-litre French oven, or cocotte, from the original Raymond Loewy collection can command £200. The cocotte remains the bestselling product.
If you see a Le Creuset piece featuring curvy T-shaped handles (easier to grip wearing oven gloves), it will be the 1972 La Mama pot by Enzo Mari.
A set of five good-condition spouted brown saucepans were recently priced at £150 on Etsy.

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