Stoneware marmelade jars

Photo by me

There is a great little roving flea market in Paris.  Nearly every weekend, they set up in a different neighborhood.  A couple of times a year, it’s located right on my street and I get a little giddy on Saturday morning as I watch them set up.

This being Paris, there aren’t many great bargains but I usually come across something I can’t pass up.

A while back, I bought a vintage stoneware marmelade jar.  I didn’t know anything about it, I just loved the look of it.

Last February, when we were vacationing in London, I found a vendor at the Portobello Road Market who had a whole stash of them.  We were out for the day and I didn’t want to be burdened by a heavy load so I only got one.

Photo by me

Turns out they are collectibles, though neither rare nor valuable since loads of them were produced in the Victorian era to hold everything from marmelade to potted meat (the Spam of the time?) to tooth paste.

via

The Maling Company made millions of jars for James Keiller & Sons and you can find their embossing on the bottom of the jars.

Photo by me

They are a lovely way to store make-up, toiletries, pencils or utensils.  The “shelfie” below is one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen.

Photo from @_apothecary_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TheBotanicalCandleCo uses the jars to make beautiful candles.

The two I own are in excellent condition but even the ones that are spotted and chipped have a beautiful patina. They’re solid and charming and most have a crackly finish.

I’ll be on the lookout for a Frank Cooper’s jar next.  Apparently it’s James Bond’s marmalade of choice.

The small marmalade jars usually go for 10-20€.

♥ I re-watched Downton Abbey recently, this time with my boys (husband & sons), and I’m pretty sure I spotted one in the kitchen!  I also spied two, this summer, sitting on a bookshelf in my friend’s Nantucket home.