Delectible - Collectible Thanksgiving Turkeys
by Sarabeth Samoray
Gull Cottage Antiques, Applegate, MI

Who among us doesn't happily anticipate the arrival of autumn with cooler temperatures, colorful leaves, Thanksgiving and a bountiful platter of turkey? For some collectors the "turkey" doesn't have to be edible.

They are busily seeking out the papier mache, china, cardboard, wax and composition turkeys of yesterday.

How is it Americans have come to love this undisputedly ugly bird? We have been told since our grade school days that the first Thanksgiving took place between the pilgrims and the Indians after the very first harvest in the new land. In fact, the pilgrims never actually celebrated "Thanksgiving" that first harvest year in Plymouth. The Pilgrims did not celebrate Thanksgiving the next year or any year thereafter, though some of their descendants later made a "Forefather's Day" that usually occurred on December 21 or 22. They did indeed have a feast and Indians were certainly present but the title "Thanksgiving" had not yet been declared.

There are only two known accounts of the 1621 meal. The first is Edward Winslow's account written in a letter dated December 12, 1621. The complete letter was first published in 1622. In his account he tells of the governor of Plymouth Plantation sending four men to gather as many fowl as they could but the emphasis in his account seems to be more on the deer that were brought back.

The second account by pilgrim William Bradford was written 22 years after the event. Unfortunately, the document was stolen during the American Revolution. Scholars hotly disputed the issue of turkey being served at the first banquet for many years. Myth and legend shifted over the years until at last in 1854 Bradford's original document resurfaced. Its discovery prompted a greater American interest in the history of the Pilgrims, which eventually led to President Abraham Lincoln's decision to make Thanksgiving a holiday. It is also in Bradford's account that the Thanksgiving turkey tradition is founded. Bradford wrote, "All the summer there was no want; and now began to come in store of fowl, as winter approached, of which this place did abound when they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besides waterfowl there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison, etc."

Benjamin Franklin wanted to make the turkey the national bird of America. He wrote, "The turkey is a much more respectable Bird and withal a true original Native of North America". Thank goodness the bald eagle won out as the symbol of our nation! I can't imagine serving stuffed eagle for our holiday meal.

Thus Americans love affair with the ugly fowl began, and antiques collectors have followed suit gobbling up (pardon the pun) all manner of turkey collectibles.

The early 1900s brought us adorable candy containers. Sized at three to eight inches tall they stand on little wire legs with webbed toes. Colorfully hand painted, they were made in the United States, imported from Germany and later Japan. A small cardboard tube on their lower backs held the tiny pieces of candy inside the hollow bodies. Others had removable heads to access the sweet treats. The smaller early examples bring $45 to $125 on the collectibles market depending on manufacturer, condition and size. Larger birds in pristine condition and rare poses can range as high as $1200!

The years 1940 through 1950 brought an influx of "Made In Japan" birds sized from 2 to 12 inches. Some were solid body knick-knacks while others held candy. The birds no longer stood on wire legs but rather stood proudly on circular bases with the cardboard closure located on the bottom. Tiny beads of candy were tucked inside the birds. These now range in price from $12 to $95. Missing or damaged cardboard bottoms diminish the value.

Vintage wax-coated chocolate birds are now starting to surface. Popular some 60 years ago, children delighted in peeling off the wax coating to get to the chocolate bird underneath. Since the candy container was edible, fewer of these examples remain. Believe it or not preserved examples occasionally surface completely intact. I would hesitate to sample the old candy however. It is best to enjoy these delightful turkeys as-is with the wax coating intact.

The 1940s and 50s saw the manufacturing process change. Machine pressed cardboard and egg carton material spray painted in solid colors was the vogue. Look for examples as large as 12-15 inches. Due to their delicate, easily crushed nature these pieces are a bit harder to find. Though rather on the plain side, often the paint has mellowed to a lovely hue.

Other popular collectibles eagerly sought after include china salt and pepper shaker sets featuring the hen and tom turkey. Collectors should look for matching sets made in Germany, Japan or the U.S. The painted features and glaze should be evenly applied and the pair should be free of chips. Salt and pepper sets can fetch $8 to $35. The same holds true for colorful china planters and candy dishes that range in value from $10 to $55 depending upon quality and size.

Tissue paper tom turkeys fanning out their feathers were the dime store answer to inexpensive decorating and bring reasonable prices at today's sales. Seek out examples that are not torn, retain their bright colors and original metal clips that held them fanned open.

The Gurley Novelty Company of New York made a myriad of figural candles in many sizes. Hand painted in true to life colors they sport the Gurley paper seal on the bottom. Collectors love these little gems. Becoming increasingly scarce, look for examples in as near to perfect condition as possible - unburned wicks are a must and the figure should not be dirty or misshapen from storage in hot attics. These are still a great value selling for between $3 and $12. They pair beautifully with Gurley wax pilgrims, too.

The collector shouldn't stop there, however, as I have found some lovely examples of collectible turkeys made today that will surely appreciate in value. Last year I found a terrific new composition tom turkey fit for my holiday table. A whopping 14 inches tall it is destined to become the centerpiece for my Thanksgiving feast. In addition, at a card shop I spotted a lovely sedate pair of all-white china salt and pepper shakers that will blend nicely with my fine bone china. Both fit in with all my other birds and I am sure will continue to grow in value for years to come.

Why not deck your halls this season with the colorful likeness of the hallowed turkey - rich in American history - oh, so delectable to eat and oh, so collectible, too. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Gull Cottage Antiques is located at 2096 S. Lakeshore Rd., Applegate. We are open by appointment only, November through January. We may be reached by phone at 810-622-9883.