The Vintage Lenox Spice Container Collection That's Dethroning Their Viral Village Sets

It's rare when a vintage find comes along that is so good you would trade another thrifted superstar for it. As an iconic staple of antique spice racks, the Lenox Village has reigned supreme for thrifters and collectors alike, and has made a big comeback in home decor in recent years. However, before you head to your local secondhand shop to uncover more of these buildings, you may want to check out the Lenox Cats of Distinction line, which is a truly stylish and kitschy addition you need for your kitchen (or any room). These vintage jars feature the sweetest cats, with a chic yet understated design that will suit a variety of aesthetics. Just like the village, you can fill several spice rack shelves, creating a nostalgic motif that is both visually interesting and useful for storing everything from spices to random everyday items that are adding clutter elsewhere.

An online search for Lenox Cat spice jars will turn up a lot of resellers posting both individual pieces and entire sets. One jar may cost you around $60 online, while a complete set, along with the rack, is being sold on eBay for $1,800. However, finding one or several of these in a thrift store means you're likely to snag them for a few dollars, and collecting them is half the fun. If you plan on reselling them one day, check the bottom for the Lenox stamp, which will help determine if they are authentic. These treasured antique items are going to start flying off the shelves, so make sure you're keeping an eye out for them.

These special-edition spice jars were created in the mid-'90s and were not sold in brick-and-mortar stores. People could order them through a catalogue and would receive two jars every month for only $9.75. To top it off, each one has 24-karat gold on the exterior. There were 24 jars in total, and the subscription ensured people could round out their entire group to fill their rack. What really makes these so unique is the attention to detail and the antique finish, yet they still offer a variety of colors to work with in the paintings of the cats. The white jars with the small flower details and the gold trim can work with everything from rustic and vintage designs to cottagecore and even farmhouse chic aesthetics.

While you can search for an original Lenox spice rack online, too, these can be placed on open shelving you already have to showcase your collection, or you can add individual jars to bookshelves and countertops as a kitschy element. Although you can use them to store spices and various dried foods, the hack to making thrifted antiques work in your home is to get creative with how you use them and find pieces to complement them. Pair them with a candle and a plant to elevate the design on the front of the jar. This will definitely become one of the most coveted spice jar sets collectors will be on the hunt for, so if you run across any of the jars, snatch them up!