Collectible Thanksgiving
Look for Pilgrims, Native Americans and Harvest Themes
Not yet as popular as Christmas or Halloween, Thanksgiving collectibles are inexpensive and may be the next big thing!
If you are a Thanksgiving collector, you can help yourself to seconds and even thirds without a lot of competition, good fortune that surely makes you thankful. Not yet as popular as Christmas or Halloween, vintage Thanksgiving collectibles are still plentiful, fairly low in price, and may well be the next big thing!
Not Surprisingly, Food Themed
A large majority of Thanksgiving collectibles has to do with food. Corn, pumpkins and turkeys top the list, with autumn harvest themes and cornucopias abounding. Since Thanksgiving festivities center around a traditional dinner, mementos that symbolize that dinner are highly popular, whether in ceramic, paper, cardboard, fabric, or wax (candles). In keeping with the traditional dinner theme, Thanksgiving collectibles lean heavily towards serving pieces and table displays. Platters, bowls, gravy boats, salt and pepper shakers, casseroles, and dinner plates are all popular usable collectibles. In the late 1800s, a variety of manufacturers produced Thanksgiving transferware dishes for the American market that are still used today. A Johnson Brothers brown transferware turkey platter circa 1880 in excellent condition sells for around $200.
More contemporary dishes in Thanksgiving themes by Wedgewood, Spode, Fitz and Floyd and Royal Staffordshire are also available.
Food and soap molds are popular, as are candy containers. Candy containers are most often found in the shape of turkeys and can date as far back as the early 1900’s. These containers were often made in Germany and Japan of papier-maché or composite, or plaster and used as table favors well into the 1950’s. In the U.S, Dennison made many cardboard and crepe paper candy and nut cups
Candles
All lovely dinners require flickering candle light, and Thanksgiving is no exception. Figural candles in the form of turkeys (of course), Native Americans, and pilgrims are all readily available as are figural candle holders.
Paper Ephemera
Dennison and Beistle made a variety of paper Thanksgiving décor, from crepe paper honey-comb cornucopias, to standing turkeys. As these were designed to be used and discarded, they are available, but hard to find in excellent condition. A large turkey centerpiece with a crepe paper honeycomb body can go for as much as $75. In years gone by, it was not unusual to send Thanksgiving greetings via the Thanksgiving postcard. These are readily available cards with pleasing graphics in a variety of Thanksgiving themes. Common cards sell for as little as $5 each, but an unusual or heavily embossed made in Germany card can cost much more. Cards with crossover appeal such as artist signed or black Americana are costlier still.
Everyone’s Favorite Parade
Begun in the 1920’s by mostly immigrant employees of the Macy’s department store, the parade in New York has evolved into one of the country’s most famous holiday events. Collectibles from the Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade include posters, jigsaw puzzles, tote bags, snow globes and VIP passes.
REFERENCE: Official Price Guide to Christmas and Other Holiday Collectibles by Dawn Reno Langley House of Collectibles 2006
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