Pedigreed Poultry

Today's episode of The Martha Stewart Show was all about chickens. I thoroughly enjoyed it and decided to highlight some chicken collectibles that purveyors of poultry might enjoy.

This collection of chicken prints and books is a striking vignette. Breeding fancy chickens became popular during the nineteenth century, and many books printed at the time memorialized these prized specimens. Many of these books were disassembled to remove the beautifully illustrated prints, which were then sold as individual plates, examples of which can be seen above in frames. The large diagram in the background is printed on muslin and was designed for young agricultural students. Also shown is a rooster pitcher from the 1940s and several German examples of chicken-shaped candy containers. The whimsical wallpaper is vintage.
"Chatting Peeps" made for the Fanny Farmer candy company take center stage in this collection of chick-themed egg cups. The head of a chick, possibly from the 1960s, smiles bottom left, while a Victorian ceramic hen (top left) flutters her wings.Chicken collectibles are available in many different scales and materials. Milk glass covered dishes have long been sought-after by collectors. Some of the examples above are Victorian. The two ceramic rooster creamers and the brooding-hen shaped covered dish were made in Japan in the 1930s. The miniature ceramic chickens at bottom right are postwar Japanese.Among the most charming examples of dish towels are those printed with bright, bold imagery, like this collection that depicts chickens in various styles. Some examples are from the 1950s while others are more modern. Appliqué, embroidery and printing techniques were all used to create these vibrant kitchen essentials. The Martha Stewart Collection at Macy's includes these adorable aprons with chicken and rooster motifs. The example above also has matching oven mitts and pot holders. This chicken apron from the Martha Stewart Collection is my favourite. Only $14.99 on sale! Tea towels in the same print are also available.Anyone who watched Martha's chicken show today may have noticed these charming, ceramic egg crates that were used to display some of the gorgeous examples of eggs laid by some of the exotic specimens on set. These ones are from Anthropologie: $14.00.