Whimsical and irresistibly collectible, vintage anthropomorphic ceramics from the 1950s and 1960s feature silly and smiling faces of bright-colored fruit, vegetables, and other inanimate objects, such as eggplants, bell peppers, ears of corn, apples, eggs, and tomatoes.  Often found in kitchens, these cheerful ceramics were used as salt and pepper shakers, creamers and pitchers, cookie jars, tea pots, canisters, and more.  The PY Japan tomato faces pictured were produced for the US by a company called Miyawo, located in Yokkaichi City, Japan.

In the mid-20th century, it became popular to decorate the hearth or table with a miniature Christmas village, or a "putz", often using mass-produced cardboard cut-out houses covered in glitter.  These colorful, light-weight structures often had holes in the back through which Christmas lights could be placed for illumination.  By the late 20th century, ceramic houses became popular--but the cardboard versions remain fun to collect and build.  These villages are festive and quaint and cry out "Christmas!"

Whether you wind them up, use friction to see them roll, spin them, have pretend tea parties or use them to house your money, tin toys are classic, timeless, vintage.  They are colorful and durable.  Tin toys have been manufactured widely since the mid-1800s, and were popular in the United States in the 1920s and 30s and into the 1950s.  Many tin toys were manufactured in German, Japan, England, and France--though the USA got into the game, as well.

Shell art, or shellcraft, uses the natural beauty and color of seashells to create decorative objects, such as frames, jewelry, and figurines.

A practice made popular in the United States in the 1950s, these traditionally black-and-white figures atop a wedding cake feature a bride and groom locked together in formal attire to symbolize togetherness and commitment.