Collecting Vintage Pitchers

A simple arrangement of fall colored flowers placed in a classic pitcher instantly creates a beautiful vignette. Autumn isn’t the most typical time to display fresh flowers, with all the seasonal pumpkins and colorful fall leaves that are usually associated with the season, but I’ve found that using pieces from over the years of collecting vintage pitchers makes quite a statement for fall. I’m sharing with you some of my favorite pitchers and a few different ways to create a lovely vignette for fall or any time of year.

White pitcher filled with dahlias, roses and eucalyptus sitting on a distressed, white, wooden side table. — Claret-colored mums accented with soft peachy spray roses and seeded eucalyptus set the tone for an updated fall color palette.

Our Favorites

Collect what you love and what catches your eye. White pitchers in varying shapes and sizes are the easiest and most rewarding items to have on hand. They’ll look great with any color flower, in any room and during anytime of the year. I especially love to use a few white pitchers of different sizes together to form a larger grouping.

Collecting vintage pitchers in varying shades and shapes arranged on a dining table with a linen runner. — Some of my favorite pitchers are always on-hand and ready to receive flowers in my home.

Expanding Our Collection

Pitchers with interesting silhouettes are in endless supply. Ironstone examples are truly timeless, while white embossed patterns offer a more whimsical look. Some collectors only look for white pitchers, while others shop for hand-painted versions. When I spot a pitcher that catches my attention, I stop and think about how I would use it and if it would enhance my collection.

White, embossed pitcher filled with fresh garden roses in shades of pink, orange and yellow. — Roses cut fresh from the garden look perfect in this shapely embossed pitcher.

New Versus Vintage

The best news about collecting vintage pitchers is how readily available they are. I’ve found some of my favorites at thrift stores for only a few dollars. Home goods stores also have a fabulous assortment of pitchers, so shop for what attracts you whether it’s vintage or not.

A hand-painted pitcher sitting on a wooden cutting board and filled with pink peonies and sherbet colored dahlias. — The colors in this hand-painted pitcher echo the muted soft colors of the peonies and dahlias it’s holding.

Collecting Vintage Pitchers: Shapes and Colors

The shape of the handle and the proportions of the piece is the first thing I look for when considering a new piece for my collection. The handle after all is what makes it a pitcher, so look for ones that are gracefully designed and not oversized. The majority of my collection of pitchers is white, but that doesn’t stop me from acquiring pretty blue and white ones and delicately hand-painted examples in other colors.

Light shades of hydrangeas, roses with eucalyptus accents in a white pitcher with cobalt blue accents posed next to brass candlesticks and small white pumpkins on a distressed sideboard in front of a window. — A not-so-typical fall arrangement of white hydrangeas, roses and eucalyptus with blue and white transferware gets a boost of autumn goodness from the adorable mini white pumpkins.

Creative Uses

Of course dispensing liquids is the most obvious use for pitchers, but in my household, their primary use is to make my flowers look beautiful. And, I’ll let you in on a little secret… the best part about arranging flowers in a pitcher is that you don’t have to worry about seeing the unattractive stems under water. The trick is to arrange them together in your hand, one flower at a time, and then trim the bottom of the stems evenly. Plunk them into your pitcher, and you’re all set!

An arrangement of large sunflowers In a tall blue and white vintage pitcher with small pumpkin displayed in the background. — You can’t help but think of fall when you see sunflowers, and in this case they’re paired with classic blue and white for fall.

Pretty Any Time of Year

You’ll find that a pitcher collection looks amazing displayed on open shelving or in your dining room hutch. When on open display, you’ll have immediate access to one of your favorites when you happen to come home with a bouquet from the market or come in from the garden with freshly cut flowers. Not only is collecting vintage pitchers fun, it’s also very interactive in everyday life!

A pair of white small pitchers, in the front, peach colored dahlias and in the rear pink peonies. — A pair of simple white pitchers forms an interesting vignette. Each flower variety is showcased on their own with the small dahlias in front and the larger peonies behind them.

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