Collecting Novelty Salt and Pepper Shakers
Novelty salt and pepper shakers have been produced in every shape and style imaginable. Explore the following pages to discover the wide, wacky world of Novelty Salt and Pepper Shakers.
In this section you will learn about the different designs used to produce S&P's. You will also learn the "Shaker Lingo" collector's use when referring to the differant shaker types they collect. The definitions below describe the majority of the 'structural types' or forms of salt and pepper sets that our members collect in the general shaker lingo that we use. These definitions do not include the various 'design types' the shakers can be in such as comic or realistic animals, realistic or anthropomorphic objects or vegetables, and so on. That could be another entire set of web page definitions one day!
Included with each definition are several photos of different shakers within each form type. Many shakers can be more than one type - such as a Longboy which is also a One Piece, a Wired Set which is also a Hanger, or any type which was created as part of a Series of several like sets.
NODDERS
This type of shaker consists of a base, usually rectangular, that has two holes on the top that the shakers sit in. The bottom section of the shaker is a "tube" this is the part that sits down into the base, the part of the shaker that sits above the base is the figural part of the shaker, birds and animals are popular Nodder subjects. In the area where the tube section and the figural section meet there are small triangular shaped protrusions on either side that are designed to balance on the top of the base and this is what enables the shaker to nod up and down or back and forth when gently touched.
MINIS
Mini's are another style popular with collectors and get their name from their tiny size, .5" to 2". Some of the most interesting Mini sets were produced by Arcadia Ceramics in the 1950's. Above are three examples of Arcadia Ceramic's miniature S&P's. The Lobster and Oyster set is shown in it's orginal "Dome" packaging making it more valuable than sets without.
HUGGERS
Then there are "Huggers". They are shakers that hug. The two pieces actually hug or wrap around one another while both pieces touch the shelf, the set is called a HUGGER. The most famous of these are the Van Tellingen hugging sets designed to be picked up in one hand and shaken left or right for the salt or pepper as if it were a One-Piece. Most other Hugger sets are designed to be picked up individually.
HANGERS
To be considered a Hanger, both shakers must hang from a third piece which is called the "base" OR one shaker hangs from the other shaker which also doubles as the Base.
STACKERS
A Stacker is a set where one of the shakers sits upon the other without touching the shelf. The base shaker totally supports the upper shaker - therefore the upper shaker nests or stacks on top of the base shaker. There are multiple pieces in several Spice Sets which stack several layers high - usually over a wooden dowel center for support.
Shaker Info