Q: My mother-in-law paid $2.98 for this cookie jar in a five & dime store. It has Mickey Mouse on one side and Minnie on the other and is marked “patented, turnabout 4 in 1, Mickey & Minnie Mouse, Walt Disney” in raised letters on the bottom. When was it made and what is it worth?

 

A: Disney cookie jars were made by more than one pottery. From 1944 to 1954, the license to use Disney characters on cookie jars and other items was held by Leeds China Company, which was a distributor but not a manufacturer. This Mickey & Minnie Mouse “turnabout” was first made about 1947. Reproductions have been made but it’s easy to spot the difference. The original cookie jars were painted after glazing and the paint is usually faded or worn off in places. Repros were glazed after painting and the colors are brighter and don’t come off as easily. The original jar is 14 1/2 inches high, the repro is 12 1/2 inches. Value for original is $100 to $145, but significant paint loss may lower the value. The repro is worth about $35.