5 kitchen antiques to collect

Deciding what types of kitchen antiques to collect can be as difficult as hunting down great specimens. The best bet is to choose an approach and stick with it.

For example, Linda Campbell Franklin, author of "300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles," says some people collect according to material, such as cast iron or wood. Others let function (anything with gears) or motif (all things apples) dictate their buying.

Then there's the "things that go together" approach. You might start out with apple corers, then branch into apple peelers, pie plates and pie baskets. Others like anything with holes, happily collecting colanders, funnels, graters and egg separators.

"What makes it your collection, I think, is what's so important to you," Campbell Franklin says. "Make it yours."

Here are five items popular with today's collectors.

• Ice cream, jelly, candy and food molds.

Sisters Sheila and Marilynn Brass of Boston, have nearly 2,000 of these and featured them in their recent book, "Heirloom Baking." They bought their first one for $1 at a yard sale and haven't stopped.

They say look for molds in copper, tin, pewter, china and glass. You'll find shapes of fish, castles, chickens, rabbits, even ears of corn. All look great, but only some can be safely used.

Pewter molds contain lead and should be saved for display. Have your copper molds tinned professionally before using, and watch for scratches that compromise the sealed surface.

Prices vary greatly from a few dollars to more than $100, depending on the material, condition and where you buy a piece.

• Kitchen glassware, especially mixing bowls, refrigerator dishes and citrus reamers.

Look for the Fire King label in Jadite, a powdery green color, or with the fun tulip design. That label also was well known for its sapphire blue, a very pale blue that almost looks clear.

Avoid pieces with chips or cracks. These items are great for display or for use. You can get a great bowl for under $15.

• Kitchen utensils, such as egg beaters.

Egg beaters are popular, but there are tons of items to pick from, including meat forks, apple corers, choppers and pie crimpers. They make great displays, and if the quality of the working end is good enough, you can use them, too.

Focus on the handles. Wooden handles, painted green or red, are popular. So is anything with a colorful, plastic Bakelite handles. Items can range from a few dollars for a potato masher to $50 or more for a set of utensils.

• Kitchen linens.

Embroidered flowers are pretty, but much more fun are the towels, tablecloths and potholders with a sense of humor, such as the hand towel with a rooster and the words, "Cock A Doodle Do, chicken in a stew?"

Or a 1950s tablecloth with Santa driving a team of reindeer. You'll pay more online ($20 or more for a towel) than you will at a yard sale, where you might pick up a box of linens for $5.

• Nutcrackers, especially if they have flair.

You'll find them in the shape of a woman's head, a squirrel, a devil and an alligator. Brass models can sell for more than $100, but wooden and cast-iron pieces can be had for much less.