Always Thrift Oyster Plates, They Make The Cutest Jewelry Holder

Thrift stores are a great place to find unexpected gems and amazing deals on things you need and want in your home. If you're looking for a unique way to keep jewelry organized and easily accessible, then there's a potentially valuable vintage dish you should keep an eye out for: an oyster plate. An oyster plate is a serving dish with little wells designed to hold fresh-shucked oysters. Some plates feature wells shaped exactly like the shell of an oyster, while others are a bit more abstract, and each of those spaces is a great place to keep trinkets and smaller jewelry.

In the mid-1800s, these plates were essential for hosting parties where oysters were on the menu. When they were first produced, many were hand-painted with intricate designs and stunning colors. Over time, these same plates have become part of the decor, hanging on walls and displayed on shelves. And while they are beautiful to look at, the dishes can also be repurposed as an organizer for the jewelry you wear often. 

With multiple wells on each dish, an oyster plate is a great option for holding rings, earrings, and pins that you wear throughout the week. Cufflinks and tie pins are other small items that would fit perfectly in the wells. The plates can sit on top of a dresser or vanity, within reach of where you get ready every day. Each well can hold a few rings or earrings, and even if you have a dainty necklace or two that you want to remove but still keep accessible, the cups can hold them easily. Basically, there's no need for jewelry boxes if you have smaller pieces to store and one or two of these oyster plates on hand.

There are some interesting thrift store finds that can be used as clever jewelry storage, and an oyster plate is a decorative option that looks good in any setting. Often, the antique and vintage pieces are made of porcelain and other materials that can crack, chip, and break, so you will want to be mindful of that when putting heavier jewelry into each well. Dropping coins and heavy stones onto the plate can lead to noticeable damage, particularly with hand-painted pieces that can end up scratched up over time.

Not only are these oyster plates versatile as trinket trays, but they can also be valuable depending on their age and style. While purchasing them at places like the thrift store, a flea market, or even an antique mall will likely save you money, particularly on shipping, these pieces are available online as well. If you can't find them in a store near you, the benefit of shopping online is that you can easily search for a piece that works with your design aesthetic. On eBay, you can find over a thousand different oyster plates from a wide range of brands, in an array of styles and colors. At the time of this writing, the listings include a gold-trimmed antique plate with intricate porcelain work from Limoges that was listed for $125, while a Christmas-themed plate from Villeroy & Boch was posted for $49.95. Over on Etsy, there are also plenty of plates to choose from, so have fun searching for your favorite new jewelry organizer.