Chef Spice Shakers Appraisal

Vintage Anthropomorphic Chef Spice Shaker Set with Wooden Rack

This is a vintage mid-century spice shaker set consisting of six anthropomorphic ceramic shakers housed in a dark-stained wooden display rack. Each shaker is modeled as a stylized chef character featuring hand-painted details, including wide eyes with prominent lashes, rosy cheeks, and colorful bowties. The toppers are designed to look like chef's hats, color-coded and labeled in black text for specific seasonings: Cinnamon (White), Salt (Blue), Allspice (Light Green), All-Spice (Pink - Note the variation/duplicate), Nutmeg (Dark Green), and Ginger (Yellow). The shakers measure approximately 3 to 4 inches in height and are made of glazed earthenware or porcelain. The wooden rack features a curved backboard and integrated dividers to keep the shakers organized. Regarding condition, there is visible wear consistent with age, including surface grime, some paint loss on the hand-painted features, and minor crazing in the glaze. The wooden rack shows scuffing along the base and edges. The style is typical of Japanese imports (often marked ‘Japan’ or ‘Lippels’ on the bottom) from the 1950s or 1960s, a period popular for whimsical kitsch kitchenware.