Doranne of California Cookie Jars

The unique styles of Cookie jars by Doranne of California are becoming more and more collectible today by knowledgeable enthusiasts, with the "Pinocchio" being the most sought after. The factory was first opened in 1951, in Los Angeles during the golden years of cookie jar manufacturing. It operated for 40 years, producing its own molds and distinctive designs. Most common among these was animal cookie jars, however clowns and container jars where also well represented.

Due to lower priced competition by overseas imports Doranne of California found it increasingly difficult to operate profitably and in 1991 permanently closed their doors.

Identifying Vintage Doranne of California Cookie Jars

You can usually identify Doranne of California cookie jars by the company's distinctive mark. Most jars include the letters "CJ" with one, two or three digits following, and often this was followed by the letters "USA". For instance "CJ46 USA". Sometimes the jars were just marked with the "USA". Another indicator of a Doranne jar is the ocher, green and brown glazes that they seemed to favor.

Vintage Doranne of California Prices

As is true of all collectibles the "law of supply and demand" controls prices, and Doranne of California cookie jars are no exception. Some of the more common jars, such as "Turtle" and "Cup Cake" can readily be found for under $25, while the harder to find jars like "Cow Jumped Over the Moon" or "Pinocchio" have been known to command prices in the $200 to $300 price range.

One of the easiest ways to get an idea of the value of a particular jar, or to find out how much yours may be worth, is to see if any others like it have sold recently on eBay. And if so at what price? Do this by going to eBay Here , and clicking on the 'advanced search' button at the top of the menu bar. This will bring you to a more detailed search screen. Enter your cookie jar description and manufacturer, such as "Doranne Clown Cookie Jar" then check the 'completed listings only' box and hit enter. This will bring up a list of all jars that fit your description sold on ebay during the last month with the prices they sold for. (PLEASE NOTE: You must be a logged in member of eBay to use this feature. If you are not a member, sign up is FREE and you can do it here.)