Collecting Cats

In kindergarten I was taught the virtues of sharing. So as I continue to unearth treasures from my storage shed, I am very determined to share the wealth. I am sorting my kitty and canine collectibles as either "keepers" or "adoptees"...some for me and some for you!

Here is a vintage Valentine "keeper", something a kindergartner might have received back in the 30s or 40s. At first glance it looks mighty sweet, but upon closer examination it would appear that having your heart pierced with an arrow might be a little bloody. Sheesh! I'd sleep with one eye open too if I were that kitten!

Another "keeper" is this Kitty Cucumber Clown Juggler ornament from 1985. It was a gift to me that year, the first year that Kitty Cucumber hit the gift shops. It has been on my Christmas tree for over 25 years now.

According to the Smithsonian Institution Reasearch Information System, "Kitty Cucumber (a cat character) first appeared in 1985, in a die-cut booklet produced by B. Shackman & Company, Inc. This firm has sold toys and printed materials since 1898. The Victorian-style Kitty's name was invented by the daughter of the president of the company for a favorite doll. Her mother [Mary Peters Lillemoe] designed the Kitty Cucumber now used on a variety of products, such as books, paper dolls, and art work."

I have two different Kitty Cucumber "adoptees" in my Vintage Etsy Shop this week. First is a collectible revolving music box from 1989 featuring a cat doctor and kitten. It plays "You've Got A Friend". Wouldn't this be a cute gift for a veterinarian?


The second adoptee is a Kitty Cucumber dealer's sign from 1987, one that a gift shop owner would put out with a display of Kitty Cucumber figurines.

Click on either image for more details.

And may you have a lovely day filled with chocolate, fun, and love (and NO arrows!)