I stood there for a few minutes just reading the messages painted in white letters carved on the cast-iron trivets. There about 30 of the pieces, most with some witty, funny or thoughtful aphorism that someone had dreamed up. At least one was a familiar saying, and several had no messages at all.
They were spread out on a table at the auction house, and since there were so many of them I wondered if they were someone’s collection. Had they hung on a wall or sat on a countertop to make the owner’s day or make her laugh when she needed to relax? They were so amusing that they had that effect on me.
These were not the lovely trivets that are collectible (like Griswold’s), and could fetch good prices on eBay and other retail sites. These were meant to be light-hearted and kitschy. Neither were they like the early three-foot trivets that were used to hold hot pots and skillets. Nor were they the iron trivets used to hold irons (called sad irons) for pressing clothes.
These were decorative wall plaques; placing anything on top of them would have scraped off the paint on the messages. They won’t likely sell for much, although I did find a lot of 12 that sold for $40 on eBay. However, there was only one bidder.
Here’s a look at some of the trivets at auction:
Messages on kissing and cooking, a messy house, smart women and home sweet home:
A message espousing over-indulgence in food and drink:
A message on hyperbole and kindness:
Messages of love on tile and the Serenity Prayer:
A message on the greatest love:
And all together:
