There's a whole lotta shakin' going on. The cocktail shaker at one time was found in almost every American home, so there are plenty available from which to choose. There is also a price range to suit every collector, starting with the mass-produced design in glass or chrome through to a rare designer item. As Mr Bond would say – dry Martini, shaken not stirred.Cocktail shakers are back, people are collecting and prices are rising on this once-sophisticated home accessory. The popularity in these now-trendy collectibles has a new generation of young adults revisiting an older era when things were classier and martinis were in vogue.
With the renaissance of the martini in this decade, a drink which flourished in the 1920's and 1930's, the cocktail shaker was bound to follow. The classic dry martini, whose origin is still hotly debated by historians, is simple: gin, vermouth and an olive garnish. It is shaken (or is it stirred?) in a very functional tool, the cocktail shaker. Hollywood films glamourized the cocktail shaker and the martini glass as a sign of elegance and the finer things of life.
Part of the allure and fun of drink making is the ritual of making the drink. Due to the resurgence of such drinks like the martini and the cosmopolitan, there has been a renewed curiosity with cocktail shakers. More importantly the revival of pre WWII cocktail shakers. The height of their decorative popularity was between WWI and WWII. However, when WWII began the heyday of the luxury item ceased and all metal went to the war effort, therefore they have become highly collectable.Vintage cocktail shakers will add immediate style to your bar, and are a fun item to look for and collect. They are also very fun to incorporate into your décor, since many of them have sharp lines, energetic splashes of colour, and a spirited history. Many sets are available in the $150-$300 price range.
The vintage cylinders were produced in silver, silverplate, chrome, nickel-plate, aluminium or glass. Although utilitarian, the cocktail shaker, an American invention, is found styled in a myriad of shapes and sizes. Often Bakelite or Catalin handles and knobs adorn the classier silver or chrome models. Chase, Manning Bowman, Forman Bros., Revere, Farber, and Napier are recognizable shaker manufacturers.Along with the traditional cylindrical design, shakers can take the unusual shapes of penguins, skyscrapers, bullets, bowling pins, zeppelins, roosters, dumb-bells, hourglasses and other icons of the age of their original popularity. Glass and crystal shakers often bear the name of well-known companies: Heisey, Cambridge, Hazel Atlas, Imperial, Hocking, Owens, etc.
Bargains on shakers, especially glass ones from the 1950’s & 1960’s, can still be found in all price ranges at flea markets, garage sales, estate sales, antiques stores/malls and online auctions, but prices are rising and the older, more elaborate prize pieces are harder to find. Because of this, reproductions of art deco barware are showing up in speciality shops and department stores.Following the popularity of vintage cocktail shakers, bar accoutrements are also making a comeback as collectibles. These items include: corkscrews, glassware, swizzle sticks, aprons, ice buckets, serving trays, ashtrays, sheet music, bar coasters, napkins, recipe books, postcards, bottle openers, electric blenders, ice buckets, ice crushers, seltzer bottles, serving trays, olive picks, whiskey jiggers and novelty bar items.
Values on vintage cocktail shakers and barware vary greatly depending on condition, supply/demand and from one location to another.
The Skyscraper, Revere, Chase and Zeppelin cocktail shakers remain popular, but there are others worth considering.
Shrapnel Shell
The Shrapnel Shell Cocktail Shaker dates from a year or three before the USA entry into the Great War.
Gorham Silver Company Shrapnel Shell Cocktail Shaker, Circa 1918
Lighthouse
This cocktail shaker is made by International Silver Plate, and is one of the rarest cocktail shakers around. Mainly due to its enormous size, and excellent condition it comes in at around $24,000.
Lighthouse Cocktail Shaker 1927
Manhattan
This shaker by Revere/Bel Geddes is c. 1936. Costing around $4000, this set is highly collectible and equally rare because it includes the cups, which were only made between 1936 and 1940.
The following four types of cocktail shaker remain popular.
Skyscraper
Deemed the skyscraper for their unique sleek shapes, iconic asymmetrical spout and staggering height.
The Skyscraper
Revere
The epitome of Art Deco design with many of W.A Weldon’s pieces designed in the mid to late thirties. This iconic cocktail shaker is an example of modern 1930’s American design. It was designed by William Archibald Welden in 1938 for the Revere Copper and Brass company.
Revere Cocktail Shaker
Chase
Also during the Art Deco period in the mid to late thirties was the Chase Brass and Copper company. Their shakers were streamlined polished chrome and included Bakelite accents, jewel colour and their iconic tops. While they made several shaker styles, the shakers shown below embodies the chase cocktail shaker.
Chase Cocktail Shakers
Zeppelin
The Zeppelin Cocktail shaker was introduced in 1928 with a nickel plated body and gold inserts containing the following: four cups, one funnel, one strainer with juicer, cap and body, nose cone, decanter, tail and cover for sugar, cup & cover for dried fruit, muddler, and finally a cork screw. The zeppelin comes in many shapes, but always holds true to it’s iconic silver bullet style. It is hard to find one with its complete contents, so if you find one in its entirety buy it.
Zeppelin Cocktail Shaker
Collector Notes
What to look for when buying a cocktail shaker
Design
Figural designs such as shakers in the form of a zeppelin, golf bag, lighthouse, dumbbell, penguin, lady’s leg or a skyscraper are the most valued by collectors. Look for whimsical and clever designs and anything with unusual shape and style.
Skyscraper Cocktail Shaker Shrapnel Shell Cocktail Shaker that dates from a few years before America entered into the Great War
Manufacturers
Chase, International Silver Co, Manning Bowman and Revere are known for their silver-plating. If you prefer glass, look for shakers by Cambridge Glass, Hawkes Glass company or Hazel Atlas who are known for their cobalt blue glass.
Items from the pre-market crash of 1929 are more valued than those made after this date. Collectors also look for items made by Revere & Chase that were produced in the 1930’s. Items made in glass by Cambridge & Hawkes are also in high demand.
Cost
Styles that were mass produced are usually cheaper, while rarer finds by designers like Norman Bel Geddes, Russel Wright, Kem Weber or Lurelle Guild are most sort after so will command a high price.
Condition
It is all about condition, condition, and condition. Shakers in good condition will increase in value, while those in poor condition or with dents and missing tops will not. The only reason for buying a damaged shaker is when it has a good clean top that you can use on another shaker.
Dents, scratches, and flakes, all lower the value. Examine a glass cocktail shaker very closely for for any major chips, cracks or scratches. Check for chips by running your finger over the rim and bottom edge. A small chip will severely reduce the value. Major damage will lower the value and will not appreciate in value.
Damage
Avoid pieces with dents, scratches and flakes. Examine a glass shaker closely for any major chips, cracks or scratches. A small chip can reduce the value by 30 percent or more. Check for chips by running your finger over the rim and bottom edge. A small chip will severely reduce the value.
Colour
When buying coloured glass, the more brilliant the hue the higher the value. Look for bright clear colours in the glass. Cobalt blue glass was difficult to make and thus commands the highest price.
Reproductions
Be sure you are buying an authentic piece. Get to know the types of shakers produced by major vintage manufactures. Most shakers have patent numbers, manufacturer inscriptions or stamps.
Restoration Hardware is making shakers today in the form of zeppelins, airplanes, penguins, that are selling at online auction sites for approximately four times their actual value.