How to Buy or Sell — Kitchen Paraphernalia

Anything that was ever used in a kitchen, from a wrought-iron kettle holder of the 1700s to a Mr. Coffee machine of the 1970s, or a Depression glass reamer to a midcentury chrome toaster has a sale value. Most buyers want something nostalgic and decorative to put in a modern kitchen. Any unusual object will sell quickly at a house sale or flea market or to friends. Some antiques shops deal in utensils that were made before 1930 and dishes with the “country look.” Very modern-looking equipment, preferably chrome, brightly colored pottery or plastic pitchers, toasters, canisters, and a few other objects with Art Deco or Modern designs are sold by different groups of dealers. The electric items of the past, such as old toasters, mixers, and waffle irons, sell to collectors, especially if they are very unusual or decorative. An electric toaster with a blue willow porcelain plaque or a leaf-decorated 1950s glass plaque on the side will sell for over $100. The same toaster without the attractive sides is worth almost nothing. A rare iron made entirely of glass sells for hundreds of dollars; an electric metal iron from the 1970s is almost unwanted by collectors but may still be useful.