Description: This two-piece set, a hand holding the world, represented the convention theme of “Reach out to Other Collectors.”

  • The hand shaker came in two colors – white and brown. There were 215 white hands and 35 brown hands. The hand has 3 holes.
  • The world shaker has 4 holes. The words “2nd Annual Salt & Pepper Convention 1987 Trish” appear on it.
  • The sets were numbered.

Shaker Manufacturer: Trish Ceramics
Number Manufactured: 250
Convention Theme: Reach Out to Collectors
Convention Location: Pittsburg, PA
Hosts: Melva Davern & Betsy Zalewski
Original Price: $30

From “The First Ten Years, a History of the First Ten Commemoratives,” by Steve Justin in the February, 1997 Club Newsletter:

This convention was the first to have a theme. The set is a ceramic hand, 3H, 4 1/2″ long, holding a ceramic world, 4H, made by Trish Ceramics of Pittsburgh.

Melva Davern had written a poem entitled “Reach Out” which was published in D2,P213. The set is shown above the poem.

The original design was the hand holding a blown GLASS shaker. It was specifically designed to satisfy the novelty shaker collectors and the antique and art glass collectors, for at the time there was only one club (S.S.C.C.) who collected both. The design was changed in part, with the glass shaker being replaced with a blue ceramic world. The wording on the world is “2nd Annual Salt & Pepper Convention 1987 Trish.” This wording is very significant in that it refers to A salt and pepper convention. It was at this convention, hosted by Melva Davern and Betsy Zalewski, that the club split into two clubs, forming the Novelty Salt & Pepper Shakers Club and the Antique & Art Glass Salt Shaker Collectors Society.

An undetermined number of pieces/sets were made. Problems with the kilns and temperatures caused some of the pieces to be destroyed, especially the brown hands. The final number produced for sale was 250, all numbered, with an original issue price of $30.00. 215 hands have a cream color and 35 have a brown color. Objections were made at the convention such as cost, poorly designed, the world was “ugly and bumpy,” and it was not acceptable or collectible set. Oh, how little they knew! The committee re-offered the set at $12.00. If the buyers were not satisfied, the set would be bought back at the same price. A set of the brown hand and world sold at the 1994 convention auction for $100.00. All know remaining sets are in private collections.