The kitchen might not be the first place you think to search at an estate sale, but that’s exactly why it’s worth a closer look. While everyone else is checking the furniture and jewelry, surprisingly collectible pieces can still be sitting inside cabinets, drawers, and pantry shelves.
The trick is knowing what deserves a second glance. Before you leave, open the cabinets, look underneath dishes for maker’s marks, and check those crowded drawers; you never know what you will find.
Vintage Coffee Mugs and Teacups
Mugs are so common that they’re easy to skim past, but older advertising, character, Fire-King, studio pottery, and unusual souvenir mugs are worth checking. Teacups can also surprise you, particularly when the saucer is still there and the maker’s mark is clearly visible.
Vintage Drinking Glasses
Those old juice glasses and tumblers may look like leftovers from Grandma’s kitchen, but midcentury barware has plenty of collectors. Look for pieces from Libbey, Federal Glass, Hazel-Atlas, and Anchor Hocking, along with gold detailing, unusual graphics, advertising, and complete matching sets.
Fine China
Don’t automatically dismiss stacks of old china, especially pieces marked Noritake, Herend, Limoges, Royal Doulton, Wedgwood, or Spode. Certain patterns, hand-painted pieces, figurines, and hard-to-find replacements can be far more desirable than an ordinary dinner set.
Sterling Silver Flatware
That drawer of mismatched forks and spoons deserves a closer look because sterling can easily get mixed in with everyday flatware. Check the backs of handles for markings such as “STERLING” or “.925,” particularly on pieces from makers like Gorham and Reed & Barton.
Vintage Pyrex
Old Pyrex mixing bowls, casseroles, and refrigerator dishes remain favorites with vintage kitchen collectors, but pattern and condition can make a huge difference. Flip every piece over to check the markings, and pay particular attention to unusual colors, promotional designs, and complete sets.
Related: 16 Vintage Pyrex Pieces That Still Hold Serious Value Today
Fire-King Jadeite
That slightly old-fashioned green glassware hiding behind the dinner plates could be Fire-King Jadeite from Anchor Hocking. Everyday pieces have their collectors, but harder-to-find serving pieces and unusual shapes can be especially desirable.
Depression Glass
Pink, green, blue, and other colorful glassware tucked into the back of a cabinet shouldn’t automatically be written off as inexpensive dishes. Depression-era patterns such as Cherry Blossom and Mayfair can be collectible, with rarity, color, pattern, and condition all affecting value.
Vintage Cookie Jars
An old cookie jar may be worth investigating before you decide it’s simply dated kitchen decor. Pieces from McCoy, Hull, Shawnee, and Brush Pottery can attract collectors, particularly unusual figural designs with their original lids and paint intact.
Vintage Salt and Pepper Shakers
Small salt and pepper shakers are exactly the sort of thing shoppers overlook while searching for bigger-ticket items. Vintage animal, fruit, character, advertising, and souvenir designs can be collectible, especially when you find the complete matching pair.
Related: 20 Collectibles in Your Parents’ House That Could Be Worth a Fortune
Vintage Advertising Tins
Old coffee, cocoa, spice, and food tins weren’t always thrown away after they were emptied, which is why they still turn up in older kitchens. Early tins with colorful graphics, recognizable brands, unusual designs, and minimal rust can be especially interesting to collectors.
Vintage Tupperware
Most old plastic containers aren’t going to fund your next vacation, but that doesn’t mean every piece should be ignored. Earlier Tupperware in distinctive vintage colors can have a following, particularly when lids are present, and multiple pieces from a set have stayed together.
Heavy Copper Cookware
Don’t judge an old copper pot by its tarnished exterior because quality vintage cookware often looks less impressive before it’s cleaned up. Heavy pieces, particularly older French cookware with maker’s stamps and traditional linings, are worth researching before you leave them behind.
Antique Stoneware
Heavy crocks, butter churns, and old mixing bowls can blend into an estate-sale kitchen surprisingly well. Look underneath and along the sides for names such as Red Wing or Western Stoneware, and pay particular attention to pieces with cobalt decoration or old advertising.
Antique Cast Iron
A dirty cast-iron skillet may not look like much sitting at the bottom of a cabinet, but always turn it over before walking away. Griswold, Wagner Ware, and Favorite Piqua are names worth recognizing, and certain sizes, logos, and older variations can command considerably more than an ordinary modern skillet.
