Familiar Portrayal?
A cookie jar is usually made out of glass or ceramics to store cookies, biscuits and other types of pastry. Cookie jars are found in the kitchens of many homes and used for both practical and aesthetic purposes. This symbolic product has been associated with festive holiday periods like Christmas. The portrayal of cookie jars can be seen in films with the depiction of freshly baked cookies during festive holidays like Christmas.
A cookie jar has numerous references throughout history and has become an iconic product. This humble storage product originated from eighteenth-century Britain and has been seen in many homes over the world. The cookie jar of today does not appear like the ones we are so used to seeing daily. The previous versions of the cookie jars were known widely as biscuit jars or barrels. It had a simple design that functionally serves its purpose. The appearance of cookie jars in the past were mostly shaped like a barrel, had a body of glass with a finishing lid made out of metal.
Popularity of Cookie Jars
The popularity of cookie jar skyrocketed in the USA during the 1920s. Due to the relatively low cost, people started to use it as a storage product to store cookies and other non-food related items. Besides functional storage, there was a trend among the Americans to use cookie jars as a form of decorative element in their homes. However, with the design during the 90s, it does not appeal to the modern crowd of today. Therefore, bigger corporations within the pottery or glass industries had to adapt to the trends and designs of the contemporary environment we live in.
This reinvention and rebranding of cookie jars began to transform into more creative options to appeal to people. These creative jars are deemed as a novelty product which many people sought after for. The shapes, colours, design, and functionality of cookies jars continue to grow and evolve throughout history.
Both Antique and Novelty Jars
Brush Pottery of Zanesville, Ohio was founded in 1906 by Mr. George Brush who created the first ceramic cookie jar. Cookie jars that were created during this period by this company were considered as rare items that many collectors would want to possess them. Cookie jars are now heavily sought after as a rare antique pottery that has great value in money and as an art form. However, with such value, there are bound to be replication and fakes in markets to cheat buyers into thinking they are genuine.
Novelty jars are sought after by different types of collectors who purchase these jars for creative and unique designs. These interesting creations take references from popular culture and can come in many forms such as movies, cartoons or celebrities. People are often internally motivated to purchase these cookie jars when there are strong associations with other iconic or historical figures. This makes novelty cookie jars a great gift for family and friends. Imagine eating a delicious cookie and reusing the cookie jar designed in the form of the statue of liberty or Red London Phone Booth. That would be aesthetically pleasing and functional in any home for anyone.
