As collectibles go, these vintage and antique salt shakers are quite popular.  They are certainly a very convenient size for collectors who like to display their treasures.  They also lend themselves nicely to following particular themes.  If you are using them as a decorative display in your kitchen, finding several sets to match your decor is a piece of cake in most cases.

Other people go for a more eclectic mix of vintage salt and pepper shakers when they build their collection.  They may be more interested in purchasing items that come from some particular period of history or which commemorate something that is important to them.

Mammy salt shakers show up a lot on eBay and they are sometimes bid to amounts that are quite impressive by Black Americana collectors.  I see these a lot at garage sales and estate sales, but word must be out that they are collectible, because they usually seem to have a price tag that is noticeably higher than other shakers being sold.

Others still, may collect by a particular maker.  Some names that sold well during a recent check of eBay listings were Steuben, Lefton, Stieff, Tiffany and Cartier.  This is definitely not an exhaustive list though.  You also shouldn't assume that just because an old set of shakers carries one of these names that they are worth substantial money.  Much depends on the particular set you are looking at and its rarity.

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VINTAGE MILKSHAKE SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER SET    US $.99

Cute Vintage Allard Wiener Dog Salt Shaker Collectible    US $.99

Vintage AVON Cape Cod Ruby Red Single Glass Salt or Pepper Shaker Individual    US $.99

Vintage Aunt Jemima Plastic Sale Shaker 1 Only FF Mold Die Works    US $.99

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Before buying any antique or vintage shakers, always examine them closely.  These are one of those items that often get a quick repair during their lifetimes.  Sometimes they get pressed right back into service.  Look for hairline cracks that indicate repairs or small chips that may have been colored in by the original owners.  This isn't to suggest that they are trying to pull a fast one.  They may have just been trying to keep a favorite set of shakers from the trash heap.  If you are a regular at low priced selling events like garage sales, you can often walk away with a great instant collection of vintage salt and pepper shakers!

Vintage Collecting

Personally, I love dealing with collectible merchandise.  I like to go out exploring estate sales and auctions, I enjoy researching the particular vintage and antique items and looking for what sells well, and I like re-selling some of it for a profit when possible on eBay.  There are also a few particular items that I enjoy hanging on to and just can't bring myself to part with regardless of how much I could get for them.

The New York Times ran an article recently that reported that the collectibles market is actually a good place to invest your money.  What I liked about the article was that they basically have the same beliefs as I do about collecting.  If you love the stuff, you are much more likely to take care of it, hold on to it and not panic by watching its value if the market seems to be going up or down.

The market for collectibles is not nearly as volatile as other areas of investment.  Things move much more slowly.  Most people who collect things don't necessarily do it for immediate financial gain.  In fact, if you talk to many collectors, they say that they plan on passing their collections on to loved ones.  What those heirs will do with it is anybody's guess but most likely, they would not be in a hurry to turn a quick profit on it either.

That leads to one of the problems with seeing collectible items as an investment.  They can be so hard for people to part with when the need or desire for money comes along.

If you are a collector of some particular item, but you are still interested in making money from the collection, there may be some options.  You could act as an expert consultant for other collectors if you really know your stuff.  You could also sort of rope off an area of your collection that is untouchable to you.  Keep it as your core collection and use some other items from your collection for trading, selling and generally building up your collection.  You can always add to your "exclusive" collection at any time.  That can be what gets passed down to others when the time comes.