Hen on Nest

I think a lot of people have collections.  I’ve had a variety of collections over the years with various meanings.  Being a super organized person I like to have complete collections because it makes my heart happy.  I’m the person who hates when she has books in a series and some of them are paperback and some are hard cover.  That’s me and that’s why I try not to have collections or I will drive myself crazy trying to have every last one in the collection.

I do have one collection though.  Is it a collection when you only have a few but you are always keeping your eyes open for more?  Sophie and I love to attend household auctions.  We’ve been to several where there are wagons full of odds and ends  And one of the things we are always looking for are hen on nests.  

What is a hen on nest?  I found this information on a blog on www.communitychickens.com.  “There are at least 100 glass companies that have produced at least 250 forms or sizes of glass hen covered dishes over the past 150 years. These dishes are referred to as an animal dish, trinket box, hen in a basket and hen on a nest. The official name, according to Smith, originated from Westmoreland glass company in the 1930s. They coined the name “hen on a nest” which has been shortened to simply “hen on nest” by latter companies and collectors. Between 1890-1910 the glass hen dishes gained advertising and publicity when they were used to package condiments, mainly mustard.

Glass hen on nest covered dishes have been made in sizes ranging from less than 2 inches to 8 inches in length. In addition to the variation in size, the type and color of the glass ranges from depression glass, milk glass, carnival glass, open salts, pressed glass, Victorian glass and lead crystal.”

There are so many variations to every hen on nest.  Color is an obvious one.  I don’t have any really “beautiful” colors.  My hen on nest dishes are orange, white and clear.  Oh and a painted one. Nothing like the multicolored, or swirled glass ones that I find so stunning.  Other than the obvious color differences, they can have eggs in the nest or not, their combs can be different, tail feathers, eyes, you name it.  Each variation changes worth and hen on nests made by certain artists/manufacturers are worth more than others.  I don’t collect mine for the value.  I collect  mine because I am crazy about chickens.

I can’t recall which was my first hen on nest.  I can tell you that they remind me of my grandma Kiehne.  I don’t even remember if she had one.  But there is some glimmer of a memory that she may have?  Anyway, they remind me of her.  I have found all of my hen on nests at garage sales and household auctions.  I will sometimes stand for hours at an auction watching every little piece get sold, waiting for the ring help to pick up that box with the hen on nest in it, or if I’m really lucky, maybe even two in the same box.  And then the rush of anxiety as you hope and pray no one else is a crazy chicken lover like you are or knows that sometimes these buggers can be worth good money.  

There is an auction that happened today.  I was looking through the pictures of the items and guess what I saw….

Why do I have to have plans for this weekend?!  And the blue dish with the two birds beside it wouldn’t exactly fit my collection, but would a unique addition as well.  Oh well - better luck at the next auction I guess.  

My hens on nests give me great joy to look at and look for.  There are so many beautiful shapes, sizes and colors.  I suppose they have a useful purpose too, but I haven’t put anything in any of mine for a long time and they all are just pretty additions to the kitchen these days.  Who else is a collector?  What do you collect?