Puppy in Boot Ceramic Planter, Green and Brown Glaze, 1940s Kitsch Desk Organizer

This is a ceramic puppy in boot planter, likely from the 1940s, with a cream puppy in caramel and brown glaze hugging a soft green boot, and no visible maker's mark.

It has no chips, cracks, or flea bites, and the black eyes and red mouth are still sharp, with dense crazing across the face and boot glaze, all shown in the photos.

Animal and shoe planters like this were a popular kitsch giftware form in the 1940s and 1950s. The open boot works as a small planter, a pencil cup on a desk, or a catchall on a nursery shelf.

Details

• Item: Ceramic planter
• Item Type: Figural puppy in boot planter
• Era: Likely 1940s
• Materials: Glazed ceramic
• Color: Cream, caramel, and chocolate brown puppy with pink ears and cheeks, soft green boot, black eyes and nose, red mouth
• Maker and Mark: No visible maker's mark
• Pattern or Model: Not confirmed 
• Style: Mid century anthropomorphic kitsch
• Dimensions: 6 in tall x 5 in x 3.5 in. Opening about 2.25 in round
• Special Features: Open boot top for plants or desk supplies. Molded boot seams and two black buttons on the side

Condition Grade: Very Good

Positives

• Graded Very Good: This planter shows light use, and every flaw is named here.
• No chips, cracks, or flea bites on the rim, ears, or base. Everything feels smooth.
• The black eyes, black nose, and red mouth are crisp and clear.
• The glaze still has a bright shine, and the green, brown, and pink colors are strong.
• The rounded ears and boot top are whole, with no missing pieces.

Issues / Wear

• Dense crazing runs across the puppy's face, ears, and the green boot. It is in the glaze only, not a crack.
• A small rust brown speck sits in the green glaze near a boot seam, shown in the glaze close up.
• Rust colored discoloration shows near some of the crevices on the bottom and side.
• The unglazed base has surface grime and spots.
• Two small glaze skips show as pale spots in the brown glaze on the back hip. They are smooth, not chips.
• A streak of brown glaze color runs onto the rim next to the puppy's arm, and the inside of the boot has light gray marks.

Find more like this in our Vintage Dog Books & Collectibles collection.

If you collect 1940s kitsch pottery, this puppy's rosy cheeks and wide black eyes hold up well on a shelf or desk. If it's the one you've been looking for, it's ready to come home.