Have you ever heard the expression about “putting your hand in the cookie jar”? Of course, that expression has been used for years, and refers to someone being caught doing something that they probably should not have done. But if you think about the saying, you might wonder about why the words cookie jar were used, and not, for example, refrigerator, or even teapot. 

            Well, actually cookie jars have always been very popular, and in the United States, it has been common for households to have cookie jars in the kitchen. When kids (or adults) were invited for dinner, it was frowned upon to take a cookie from the cookie jar before eating the meal, and then ruining your appetite.

            But it gets you thinking about where cookie jars came from?

            Actually, cookie jars can be traced to 18^th century England. They were then thought of as “biscuit jars”. “Biscuits” was a term that was used to mean a small tea cake or scone. That would be called a cookie in America. Once these “biscuits” were heated, they needed to be stored in a place that kept them fresh. The biscuits, or cookies, found their way to the United States, and by the 1800s cookie jars could be found on store and bakery counters, filled with cookies.

            Home-baking in the United States became more popular in the “Great Depression” era, and, in an effort to save money, did their own home-baking rather than go to a bakery. Therefore, more cookie storage containers were needed, and more were made.

            In 1929, the Brush Pottery Company of Zanesville, Ohio, made what is believed to be the first ceramic cookie jar. This jar, called the Kolorkraft #344, was green with the word “Cookies” on the front. When this jar became popular, other pottery industries sprang up.

            Early cookie jars were very simple and had little or no decorations. However, it was not long before marketing departments became creative and added decorations to jars. Soon, jars had figures of people, fruits, vegetables, and even animal designs on the front. Almost all houses had cookie jars.

            The “golden age” of American cookie jars was thought to be from 1940 to 1970. During those years cookie jar sales exploded. Among the leaders cookie jar manufacturer were McCoy Potteries and American Bisque, both of Williamstown, West Virginia.

            It was due to this tremendous output of cookie jars in the mid-1900s that led to collectors being keenly interested in collecting them. Many of the jars that were produced were very short-lived, and therefore, are very scarce. Conversely, other jars are very common even today, and allows collectors to purchase them more affordably. Although the common ones are not as valuable as some of the vintage jars, many of them are very colorful and unique, and are great conversational pieces. Many of the vintage jars are even displayed in kitchens today.

            But as mentioned, cookie jars are popular among collectors. Of course, prices of cookie jars vary greatly.

            For example, a Kirk Alyn’s “Superman in Phone Booth” cookie jar from 1978 went for slightly over $300 in a Heritage auction.

            An “Earthrise” cookie jar from 1970 went for over $800. Besides being very unique, it was from the personal collection of Astronaut Vance Brand. Undoubtedly, that added to the value of that particular jar.

            An extremely unique cookie jar was that of Roy Rogers and his horse. The jar was signed by Rogers at the base along with the words “Happy Trails”. It went for $900 at auction and would have gone higher except that it had been cracked and needed to be repaired.

            As for more expensive collectible cookie jars, a very rare McCoy “red” squirrel cookie jar sold at auction for $4000. This jar is regarded by same as the most sought after classic cookie jar. Another McCoy jar, this one of a train went for $6100. This jar is in two shades of blue gloss, and has white smoke. There are only known to be 6 train engine jars with smoke.

            But even a more valuable cookie jar was the one of a cow’s head that went for a remarkable $18,000 at auction. This one was from around 1900 and was displayed on butcher counters.

            It is amazing what collectors will spend on items that they really want. With vintage cookie jars it is very possible that collectors are reminded of items that they had seen, or that their family had even owned.

            But please, if you ever see a vintage cookie jar, be careful that you do not get your hand caught in it.