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How has the Internet Changed the Face of Cookie Jar Collecting?

by Sandi Phillips

In the fall of 1997 I discovered the Mining Company cookie jar site. It opened up a whole dimension of cookie jar collecting for me. Great information and folks who shared my enthusiasm for cookie jars. In the “chat room” twice weekly we discussed what new jars we had seen, where good buys were; the flow of information was great, as was the opportunity to get to know other collectors. As you all know it’s pretty easy to bore your non-cookie jar collector friends to death! One of the chatters, Merla Davis from Oklahoma and I hit it right off and began to email back and forth. Then in May of 1998, we met in person at the Nashville Cookie Jar Show. We browsed the show, bought some jars and got to know each other even better. My hubby Carl was with us, while Merla’s hubby Jim was home holding down the fort. It was apparent when the time came for us to go home that we would continue keeping in touch and see each other again. We kept in close contact and in October of 1998, Merla flew to Spokane, WA, to spend nine days with us. Here are some pictures of Merla’s trip: (Click on the pictures to see a larger version!)

Merla and I at the home of Mike and Cathy Bogulaski, holding a pirate jar that we figure our chat buddy Jay Blumenfeld would drool over and want to add to his collection of head jars. In the background you can see some of Mike and Cathy’s beautiful jars, including an original Metlox “Mammy Scrub Woman” aka Washtub Mammy. They have an extensive collection of many sought after vintage jars.

Cathy Bogulaski, Merla and myself. The three of us shopped the day away in Spokane, WA and Coeur d’Alene, ID and had a ball. Each of us bought a Debbie Mumm snowman cookie jar as a souvenir of the day. It must be sinful or fattening to have so much fun!!

While shopping in Coeur d’Alene, we found a very rare Sierra Vista jar. It’s called “The Wizard” and was priced at $1,265.00. Needless to say we left it there, but what a great jar!

Merla and a good lookin’ fella named “Ronald”. This picture was taken in Portland, OR where we had gone to attend the Portland Expo Antique and Collectible Show, with approximately 800 dealers.

Keith and Judy Lytle of Cookie Jar Antiques with Merla, at their booth at the Expo. By Judy’s shoulder you can see the “Keith” and “Keitha” jars. One of the Keith jars came home with me. Later that night we had dinner with the Lytles and a good time was had by all. The cookie jar talk was thick!! Merla is making lots of West Coast friends, we want her to be sure and come back!

Also taken at the Expo, Merla is pictured with Mary Jane “MJ” Giacomini, the author of the American Bisque book. She’s a wonderful lady, you can see some of the jars that MJ and hubby Mark had for sale. I came home with MJ’s Angel, by Merla’s head. If you think Merla looks a little tired in this picture, YOU ARE RIGHT!! I had her on a busy shopping schedule!!

Merla and I spent 4 or 5 hours packing boxes to ship to Oklahoma. How many jars did she take home? I’ll never tell!!

Is Merla buttering up Santa or maybe just resting her weary head?

Back in Spokane the night before Merla is to fly home, we are at the home of Bill and Doreen Reynolds, shown are some of their beautiful jars. The Reynolds jars are mostly mint condition and many have gold trim. A truly awesome collection.

More of the Reynolds’ jars. In nine short days we covered three states and saw five different cookie jar collections. I promised Merla’s hubby Jim that she would be sick of cookie jars by the time she got back to the Oklahoma! Really Jim, I tried!! Lucky us, my hubby Carl was our driver. As a book collector and not a cookie jar collector, he probably got VERY sick of cookie jar talk, but was a wonderful sport. Carl and I were able to fly to Oklahoma in April to see Merla and meet her hubby Jim. He and Merla rolled out the red carpet and made us feel so welcome. Merla took us all over shopping for cookie jars and to see some of the collections of other chatters in her area. We viewed the wonderful cookie jar collections of Nancy Allen, Barbara Crews and the awesome Santa collection of Candice Barnard. Then we went on to the cookie jar show in Nashville where we met even more of the chat folks. Would I ever have met Merla without the Internet? Probably not. The Internet has changed the face of collecting for all of us. We have been given the opportunity to send and receive much more information and broaden our “cookie jar horizons”. If you are looking for cookie jar talk come join us!