The Origin of Cookie Cutters

I became fascinated with cookie cutters many years ago. When my children were little, we had so much fun with them.... especially at Christmas time... cutting all the shaped cookies and decorating them. And again, when my grandchildren were little.. we carried on the tradition.

My collection of cookie cutters has grown to enormous proportion!! This led me to research the beginning of one of my favorite collections.

Most experts believe that tinned steel cutters originated in Europe several hundred years ago when wood carvers introduced metal inserts to their sophisticated sweet dough molds. Old European cutters tend to be outline forms with small cross bracing bars for support. America cutters often have a full tin plate in the back and occasionally, a handle. Many early cookie cutters found in the States have one or two circular holes cut into their tin back. The holes are normally sized to fit a lady's finger, so that she might be able to push stuck cookie dough out of the cutter, or using them to better hold her tool. Occasionally, a cutter is found with tiny holes in the punched back as a decoration. A star is common.

The first American manufactured cookie cutters were made shortly after the conclusion of the Civil War when great industries were looking to adapt to a peace-time economy. Some of these and later examples were marked by companies like Dover, Mason, Kreamer, Fries, and Hillson-all out of business today. In general, a cutter bearing a name is more valuable than an equal example bearing no inscription. Aluminum, all but supplanted tin as the favored material for cutters in the 1920's. Plastic cutters were introduced in great number following WWII. An old original box, or a legitimate 'provenance' (a story telling about a piece's history and/or origin), or cookie cutter documents, signs, etc., might be of great interest to the hundreds of international members in the "Cookie Cutters Collector's Club" home stationed in Cannon Falls, MN. Most sought-after, however, are the large grey-patined solder-splashed, tinsmith-made cookie cutters from years ago. A large rabbit can fetch hundreds of dollars if its shape is rabbit-like. Even more if he's comical. A good bear cutter would be valuable because few bears were made compared with hens or trees. An "Uncle Sam" cookie cutter brought $3,000 at auction back in 1989. At the same sale, a beautifully formed "Running Slave" cutter brought a world record price of $7,400!! The buyer stated after the sale , he was prepared to pay as much as $15,000, to get such an excellent piece for his collection.

Gee, I wonder how much my Republican Elephant (still in the box) from the 30's would bring??? Or the numerous others in my possession???

Guess I'd better not quit my day job!!! "S"

Created with love by Gram

(with a little help from Wayne Mattox of Antique Talk)

SiteMap~~Email~~Guestbook

This Midi is: "The Christmas Song"

Merry Christmas Banner by: