They Were A Big Deal In The '50s — Now It's The Valuable Teapot We'd Be Thrilled To Find

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Shopping secondhand can be a great way to add unique or hard-to-find decor to your home. It's also a good way to save some money on a particular piece you're looking for, from dishware to appliances. If you're a fan of figural crockery, then you're in luck. Pieces that were in tons of '50s kitchen cabinets are now valuable thrift store gems, so they're always worth taking a closer look at if you find them. For tea lovers who like a touch of whimsy and vintage charm in their teaware, Lefton made a teapot in the 1950s that's not only valuable today but will automatically become the focal point of a table or shelf. And it's all because it looks like a pink poodle wearing a chef's hat.

The poodle chef teapot from Lefton is vibrant pink and anthropomorphic, featuring a smiling dog-like face with large cartoonish eyes. The lid of the teapot resembles a chef's hat, while the poodle's pink curly fur forms the handle and the spout. The poodle chef teapot was part of a tea set that included matching mugs, a creamer jug, and a sugar dish. They were all produced and hand-painted in Japan in the '50s; the teapots have the word Japan printed on the bottom. Originally, the teapots would have also featured the Lefton mark printed in gold or silver foil on a red sticker, with trim to match the lettering. However, it can be hard to find pieces with the original sticker still on them after years of being used and washed.

There are some rare teapots you should never turn a blind eye to if you pass them at the thrift store, and the Lefton pink poodle chef teapot is definitely on that list. In fact, this teapot can be valuable even when it has minor damage. On Etsy, one of these teapots with paint loss and crazing sold for $1,100. On eBay, a teapot with a chipped spout is currently listed for $2,499, while a full tea set is going for $3,500. Unfortunately, this is not an easy piece of Lefton ware to find; very few of these teapots are up for sale at any one time. If you're able to nab one while shopping secondhand in person, it's worth the hunt.

If you're able to find the Lefton pink poodle chef teapot in a thrift store, antique mall, or at an estate sale, treat it as a must-buy item, even if it has minor damage. However, chips and cracks may limit how you can use this piece. While this teapot always looks good as imaginative decor, you won't necessarily want to use a damaged piece to serve tea. The structural integrity may be compromised, and there are some potential health risks if lead was used in the glaze. If you do find one of these teapots, even with damage, it can still be a beautiful way to add trendy, whimsical accents to your home — just not a functional piece of servingware.