These Vintage Jars Are The Estate Sale Find That Everyone Is Scooping Up Again

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One of the best places to scour for unclaimed treasures is estate sales. They are common hideaways for valuable and retro pieces that are the coolest finds at vintage shops, such as the famous Merry Mushroom kitchen set. This set competes with the vintage goose jars that made an unexpected comeback in kitchens, as the demand for trendy items of the past has been a common theme of 2025. Unlike vintage kitchen items that hardly anyone uses today, goose jars and Merry Mushroom items have become increasingly popular as people embrace cozier and more eccentric design trends.

The massive department store Sears released the Merry Mushroom collection in the late 1970s. It started with a wide range of kitchenware, including cookware, mugs, storage jars, teapots, and more. In fact, this set was so overwhelmingly popular that Sears also released bedroom, wall art, and other room decor with the iconic mushroom motifs.

These vintage items are easy to recognize with their vibrant, polka-dotted mushroom ceramics and motifs. Some of the pieces, such as the jars, even have lids shaped like quirky mushroom heads. They're often painted in warm-toned colors, like oranges, reds, and yellows, and have a cream-colored base. The Merry Mushroom items are so popular that there's a published guide on collecting them: A Collector's Guide to Merry Mushrooms. This book was written by an avid collector and instructs other collectors on how to identify and date their vintage finds.

Unfortunately, there are so many Merry Mushroom items that it can be difficult to identify which are authentic and which are copycat designs. Some items, like the canister set, are stamped with "(C) Sears Roebuck And Co. 1978. Made in Japan," in simple black lettering. Otherwise, they have stickers on the bottom stating similar identifying information. It's important to recognize that many items lack these identifiers, and some items might have once had them, but their stamps and stickers wore off after years of use.

Here's the good news — '70s decor is back in style, making Sears' Merry Mushroom collection a great addition to homes with a whimsical or vintage aesthetic. They are perfect statement items for countertops and kitchen islands, and the designs are easy to coordinate with other '70s-inspired decor in the same warm color shades. Embrace the whimsy and overall retro look with hanging macrame planters, domed pendant lighting, and geometric backsplashes. 

If you have a more traditional kitchen, Merry Mushrooms also have a place. If you have a set of canisters, arrange them atop a simple wooden tray or beside a ceramic crock full of wooden utensils. In these situations, they serve as a pop of color in an otherwise tame design theme. Decorating with retro kitchen items adds the perfect amount of nostalgia, and combining dated and modern elements maintains a contemporary look with a touch of coziness.