Is It A Find

Hello Dan, I purchased this pair of salt and pepper shakers at a thrift store a few years ago. They have no marks and are in perfect shape. What makes them unique is the metal box on the bottom; when turned upside down for use, they squeak! I have never seen salt and pepper shakers like these and was wondering if they have any value. I enjoy reading your articles and appreciate your thoughts on my find.Sincerely,Margret Hello Margret, What a rare find you actually have! Your pair of salt and pepper shakers was made in the late 1950s by the Holt Howard company and is part of the rare Kitchen Cub series. Brothers John and Robert Howard, along with their college friend Grant Holt, started Holt-Howard in 1949 to design, import, market, and sell ceramic decorative objects from Japan. The three met while studying at Amherst College in the early 1940s. The company's first hit was Christmas décor, from winking Santa mugs to angel candleholders and even Christmas planters. It flourished further in 1958 with its Pixieware and Cozy Cat lines, which featured elfin faces topping crocks for cherries, olives, onions, and even liquor decanters. Kitchen items shaped like cartoonish animals became the company's signature. The polar bear series, called Kitchen Cubs, came at the tail end of that animal craze. The company only did a test run of the polar bear cubs (none of which were signed) and this was the last animal line Holt-Howard made. At the time, the company was unsure how many more animal themes it would sell. Thus, the series never went into full production. Every cub in the series is perched on an iceberg, and the line appeared in Holt-Howard's 1958 catalog. Some collectors theorized the bears were a nod to Alaska's approaching statehood in January 1959, though that's speculation rather than documented fact. Few pieces survive today because of the limited production, making them highly prized. Believe it or not, your pair could sell for upwards of $1,500 if in excellent condition! The fact that the squeakers on the bottom still work is amazing, as most cease functioning after years of use. Congratulations on your amazing find, and thank you for taking the time to write in.