Tuesday Treasures - April 21, 2026

 A few cute things from a few St. Vincent de Paul trips.  

A cute little bone china pup made in Japan c. 1950s-1960s.  Someone donated a few small dog figurines, but the manager priced most at over $6 due to them being "original" so and so made.  Not worth it. 

These 4" ceramic fish were just 75¢ each and puzzled me when I bought them.  What are they?  Whistles!  Or to be specific, "edge-blown aerophones," like fish-shaped bottle flutes. Yes, they work just like blowing across a bottle, or playing a flute. Which I did, played the flute, for years.  My father was completely unable to play a flute, or even make a noise blowing on a bottle!  These are Japanese made, sold as good-luck items, from around 1960-1970. 

Red Wing Pottery salt and pepper shakers in the Lexington pattern produced roughly 1941-1957, in their hand-painted dinnerware era. The two different shapes through me, and the manager.  She had them displayed in sets of the same.  I bought the short ones.  After getting home and looking them up I found that a set was actually the two shapes.  Of course, how else to tell salt from pepper?  I went back, explained, and traded for an egg shape.  Fortunately, they could verify my claims by checking online, which they did!  $3.00 

A pair of cute little piggy salt and peppers from Japan, the kitschy sort imported to the US in the 1960s.

Lastly, in the Goodwill Bins I found a pottery apple.  Not too exciting, but it will join some other pottery fruit out in the garden.  Eventually some winter will cause it to crumble.   At 10¢ a pound I don't mind the price sticker (left from the stores where it didn't sell) pulled of the finish on the other side.