Vintage 1950s Gilner Pottery Pixie Salt Pepper Shakers Red California Elves For Sale

This charming matching pair features a male and female pixie/elf, each standing nearly 5 inches tall. They have Gilner’s wonderfully expressive styling with oversized pointed ears, mischievous sideways glances, dramatic painted eyelashes and eyebrows, rosy cheeks and bright red lips.

Both are finished in a striking glossy cherry-red glaze with contrasting cream-colored faces. The male pixie stands with his arms crossed, while the female pixie has her hands clasped together over her flared skirt. Their shaker holes are incorporated into the tops of their pointed heads, making them functional salt and pepper pieces as well as fantastic display figurines.

These early Gilner pixies are sometimes affectionately described by vintage collectors and sellers as “original Elf on the Shelf” style pixies, as they date from the 1950s—decades before today’s modern Elf on the Shelf tradition. They are not affiliated with the modern Elf on the Shelf brand.

Maker: Gilner Pottery
Origin: California, USA
Era: Circa 1950s
Material: Glazed ceramic/pottery
Color: Glossy red, cream and hand-painted details
Style: Mid-Century Modern / 1950s Kitsch
Type: Salt & Pepper Shaker Figurines
Quantity: Matching pair

Approximate Measurements

• Male/left pixie: 4.7” H × 1.7” W
• Female/right pixie: 4.6” H × 1.8” W