A Strung Out Fairy Tale
By Bobbie Zucker Bryson

Once upon a time, there was a homemaker who needed string…to tie her parcels, hang her laundry, and perform a variety of odd jobs around the house.  You see, this was a very long time ago and adhesive, filament and masking tape had yet to be introduced into everyday life.  But alas, when our heroine opened her kitchen drawer, the clothesline was in knots and her supply of thin white twine was tangled beyond redemption.

Faced with an overwhelming dilemma, the homemaker asked her husband for assistance.  Inspired by the designs of cast-iron beehive stringholders found in the local general store, he crafted a string dispenser for their own kitchen.   Now some versions of this story report that he used a coconut shell and snippets of cloth from his Mrs.’ sewing basket.  In other parts of the country, this tale has the husband using an empty oatmeal box and remnants.

Like many fairy tales it’s hard to know whether or not the story is based on actual events or merely someone spinning a yarn. It’s true that the commercial stringholder was an important piece of equipment in general stores, pre-dating the use of tape to secure packages.  Brass, aluminum and glass models followed the early cast-iron pieces.  Some were even marked with a merchant’s message. Today these advertising examples are difficult-to-find, highly desirable and quite costly.

Our story’s housewife probably lived in the first half 20th century, and she used string for cooking, sewing and other household chores. No doubt she was often frustrated by the inability to store string neatly and have it easily accessible.  By the late 1930s she not only wanted a functional keeper, but an attractive dispenser that would compliment the other colorful accessories in her post-Depression era kitchen.

Well thanks to clever merchandisers, our lady’s tale had a happy ending. From the late 1930s-1950s, decorative stringholders were produced in many forms and marketed to the general public at a reasonable cost.

Show Them What You’re Made Of...

   The material they’re manufactured from is equally diverse as the subjects—mostly chalkware and ceramic, and less often composition, metal, wood, and cloth. Yes, you might even find an oatmeal box or coconut shell hanging on the kitchen wall.  The age of these pieces also vary.  In the stringholder chapter of the second edition of Collectibles for the Kitchen, Bath & Beyond, historical documentation like the 1929 patent for a coconut twine holder and 1940s vintage ads for some of the chalkware models helps with the dating.  While most stringholders are designed to hang, some are classified as “shelf-sitters;” others can be displayed in either manner.

A Class Menagerie

   Animal stringholders run the gamut from the figure of a cat with (and without) a ball of string to birds, dogs, pigs, a monkey, fish, and even a few elephants. Miller Studio, a leading manufacturer of chalkware wall art and stringholders who is still in business today, was responsible for two of these feline stringholders, plus other sought after stringholders from the 1940s and 1950s.
   While the more common animal models can be purchased for about $50, you can expect to pay more for most.  To give you a perspective on the inflationary value of these household helpers, a chalkware bird in bird cage that sold in Montgomery Ward’s 1944 Christmas catalog for a mere $1.50 retails today for $95-125 (if you can find one). Miller Studios’ “Susie Sunfish” wholesaled in the neighborhood of $7-8 a dozen in the late 1940s.  In 2002’s market you can expect to pay $225-275 for just one!  Susie’s hefty price and the inability to locate examples in good condition have spawned reproductions being passed off as old (hint—the hanger on the original is positioned on the back, not the top like the knock-offs). Everything But the Kitchen Sink...

   This about sums up the varied forms decorative stringholders take.  For obvious reasons chefs, fruits and vegetables abound.  The anthropomorphic PY ceramic apple ($125-175) and the ceramic winking pumpkin face from Japan ($125-150) are both highly desirable. The common chalkware mustachioed chef in a polka dot hat (ca. 1939) is still affordable at $45-65, while Miller Studio’s chalkware “Little Chef” (ca. 1950), who bears a close resemblance to the Rice Krispies kids, is a bit pricier at $175-225. The Mexican theme was popular with both male and female heads in different poses, as were Indians and women in too many styles to mention. Famous characters like Shirley Temple, Betty Boop and “Bobby,” the Campbell’s soup kid are at the top of this collecting category—expect to pay $300+ for any of these originals.  Then there’s the Fitz & Floyd’s 1983 bunch of balloons ($45-75) and Sigma’s newer vintage R2D2 Star Wars stringholder ($95-135).

Crossing the Line

A cross-collectible is defined as an object that, because of its design, decoration or manufacturer, may appeal to more than one group of collector. This can be costly for stringholder folks.  California Cleminson pieces like their puffed heart “You’ll always have a ‘pull’ with me” ($65-85) and Royal Bayreuth’s ca. 1910 rooster ($400-600) are good examples of stringholders with multiple-collector appeal. But it’s the ever-popular Black stringholders that are leaders in this class.  In demand by both stringholder and Black memorabilia collectors, competition between the two groups continues to push up prices.  Buyers need to be wary...Black stringholders’ popularity has made them one of the primary candidates for reproductions.  We’ve even seen common white chefs painted black in an attempt to increase the object’s value.

Standing the Test of Time

Like most collectibles, the condition of a stringholder does count in establishing its current market value.  Finding chalkware examples in excellent condition is becoming increasingly difficult and collectors have become a bit more tolerant of expected “wear.”  Chalkware (a form of plaster of Paris) unfortunately has a tendency to chip and peel.  You’re more likely to find the ceramics in better condition, although they’re still prone to cracks, the age crackling effect common in pieces of the 1930s-50s, and of course peeling cold paint.   While all these surface blemishes can diminish an item’s worth, some folks are willing to overlook a small amount of damage on a hard-to-find piece in hopes of upgrading in the future.  Rarity, regional location of an item and venue of sale also affect value. But it comes down to a collector’s desire to own a particular stringholder that will determine the final selling price.

Don’t Get Faked Out

   The rising interest in vintage stringholders has boosted the number of new issue and reproduction stringholders in the marketplace. To clarify the difference, reproductions are best described as exact copies of an older item.  These are rarely marked, and if it’s a good copy it causes a lot of confusion in the collectibles community, even among the veterans.  Conversely new issues may resemble the style or design an older piece but have been modified to prevent a mix-up with the vintage model.  In most cases they are clearly marked and even dated by the maker.  Other tell-tale signs in identifying reproductions include: check the back of chalkware pieces to see if the plaster looks fresh or very white; high gloss paint; and the location of the wire hook, which is usually on the top of the older stringholders, versus the back of newer examples.
   Fakes or “Wannabes” are equally challenging when identifying the real deal.  Just because an item has a hole to feed string through, does not necessarily make it a stringholder.  Always check the hole for chipping and lack of color; these signs may indicate the hole was drilled after the piece was manufactured. The biggest culprits in the “Wannabe” category are the white ceramic exotic drink containers (i.e. Buddahs, Samurai helmets, Oriental women) offered in restaurants.  A straw, not string, was inserted into the hole!

Although none of these characteristics are foolproof in separating the old from the new, these tips can be helpful.  Obviously, buying from reputable dealers who stand behind the source of their merchandise is becoming increasingly important.

To Be Continued...

   If you’d like to know how the rest of the story goes, you can read all about it in the newly released second edition of Collectibles for the Kitchen, Bath & Beyond (Krause Publications, 2001).  This must-have pictorial price guide features more than 1,500 photos, vintage advertisements, original patents, and current market values throughout the chapters on these hot collectibles: napkin dolls, pie birds, decorative stringholders, laundry sprinklers, figural egg timers, whimsical children’s cups and baby feeder dishes, and razor blade banks.  The newly revised “Beyond” chapter includes a birds eye view on these great novelties: lipstick ladies, measuring spoonholders, figural tea balls, plant waterers, toothbrush holders, garlic and onion condiment jars, and figural egg separators.  In addition, special “Wannabe” sections help the collector distinguish between the genuine article and fabulous fakes.  The photos and information contained in this article are only a preview of the in-depth coverage in the extensive chapter showcasing 300+ stringholders. To order this book, contact Krause Publications at
1-800-258-0929; it is also available through online and local bookstores.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bobbie Bryson loves hearing from other collectors of any of the common household objects in this book.  She can be reached via email at Napkindoll@aol.com.