Vintage Metlox Cookie Jars
Located in Manhattan Beach, California, the Metlox Manufacturing Co. was founded by Willis and T. C. Prouty in 1927. The original purpose was to manufacture ceramic parts for the neon sign industry. The name was an acronym derived from the words "metal oxide".About 1934, Metlox began producing the ceramic housewares lines for which they subsequently became quite well known. The famous "Poppy Trail" line was introduced in that same year, for marketing through the kitchen departments of large retail chains. Soon afterward their dinnerware, cookie jars, and miniature lines became very popular and profitable for the company. Metlox's ceramic engineers later introduced many other innovations which allowed them to speed up production while at the same time lowering their costs.
Metlox continued production throughout the 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s and well into 80s, until going out of business in 1989. Today the site of the old plant is occupied by a unique shopping and dining mall, that celebrates the history of the Metlox Pottery manufacturing.
Identifying Vintage Metlox Cookie Jars
You can often identify Metlox cookie jars by the "Made in Poppy Trail Calif. USA" mark. This is sometimes incised in the bottom, and other times stamped. However they also shipped out a large number of jars with "Poppy Trail" stickers that in most cases have long since disappeared. To farther confuse todays collectors Metlox made a number of jars with no marks at all.
Vintage Metlox Cookie Jar Prices
As is true of all collectibles the "law of supply and demand" controls prices, and Metlox cookie jars are no exception. Some of the more common jars, such as "Wise Owl" and "Puddles the Duck" can readily be found for under $50, while the harder to find jars like "Pinocchio" or "Drummer Boy" have been known to command prices in the $400 to $600 price range.
One of the easiest ways to get an idea of the value of a particular jar, or to find out how much yours may be worth, is to see if any others like it have sold recently on eBay. And if so at what price? Do this by going to eBay Here
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It is important to note that the following cookie jars are auction listings, over which this site has no control with respect to their vintage authenticity. Collectors should take the precautions outlined in "Fakes and Counterfeits" prior to bidding on any vintage cookie jar over $100.
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