A Most Amazing Find: Holt Howard Polar Bears!

Everyone who knows me can tell you where I am on any given Sunday from early April to the end of October. I am at the local flea market at least a half hour before it opens, watching the long rows of trucks, vans and cars loaded up with all sorts of treasures slowly roll their way onto the fields and claim their spot.

This is my story from the very last flea market of the season and the amazing find I walked past twice. I had picked up a few things and it was cold, but I always have a feeling I should go through again, as new sellers were constantly coming in at later times and setting up. I am always afraid I’m going to miss something.

Several flea markets in our state and in southern New Hampshire closed their markets permanently over the past couple of years and so there were new dealers coming to my flea market that I had not met. I went by such a new dealer, saw this ceramic pitcher and picked it up.

He offered me a great price. It was in perfect shape, but extremely light and absolutely unmarked with the most adorable little animals on it and an chunky shape.  I put it down, thinking I don’t know what it is or who made it, and continued on my search. On my last pass through the flea market, I was drawn to look that quirky pitcher again. The dealer looked at me and said, “I know you like that.” And I said, “Yes, I know I like it, but I don’t know why.” He just smiled because we both didn’t know. The price was good, so I did buy it and I brought it home.

I did a quick search and behold, this pitcher was from the last kitchen animal collection that Holt Howard ever made, called Kitchen Cubs and featured in their 1958 catalog. They made the pitcher and other pieces with adorable polar bear cubs set on ice.

So I get to thinking, why did they come out with polar bears? Here’s my theory. Alaska was going to be granted statehood very soon; it was in the news all the time about how Alaska was going to be a great addition to our country and had things that we didn’t have, such as polar bears. If I were a designer for Holt Howard, I would think about making a line featuring polar bears because of Alaska’s upcoming statehood in January of 1959.y

There are not many pieces from this line around due to production limits and concerns about manufacturing problems. As I said, they did appear in the 1958 Holt Howard catalog. Alaska was granted statehood in early 1959. The Kitchen Cubs pieces did not have back stamps or foil labels but merely Japan labels when they started showing up at flea markets and antique stores decades later.

I must’ve seen them in the Price Guide for Holt Howard Collectibles by Howard Dworkin. Although I paid them very little attention at the time, that must be some little bell in my brain rang and a little voice said “Buy that!” There are not many of this collection in circulation. Dworkin says they are quite a find!

These other pieces from the adorable Holt Howard Kitchen Cubs line are quite special. Their base holds a boiled egg which the iceberg keeps it warm until it is eaten. The bonus is that the Cubs themselves actually are salt and pepper shakers so you got a lot for your money with this four piece set of kitchen cubs.

If you are a Holt Howard collector or seller, KEEP YOUR EYES OUT for polar bears! They turn up when you least expect them.