(Photography: Etsy)
Nostalgia has been a popular trend this year, with the return of the Grandma aesthetic. Floral wallpapers, thrifted furniture and vintage collectibles are at an all-time high, so having a spice jar collection from 1989 steal the show is no surprise.
You may have seen Lenox’s Spice Village set – they’re cute porcelain spice jars shaped and painted to look like little whimsical houses.
There’s been a resurgence thanks to a handful of TikTokkers who shared their cute kitchen aesthetic with the Spice Village front and centre.
One TikTokker who made waves online was @daniklaric, who posted a video organising the 1989 Spice Village she’d received as a housewarming gift. The video amassed more than 6.9 million views.
@daniklaric the cutest little village ever #asmr #creatorsearchinsights ♬ original sound – dani klarić
All collectors, thrift-shoppers and cottage core fans lost their minds, asking where they could get their hands on it.
“It’s like a mini Bridgerton kitchen,” commented one.
“Oh, I never realised I needed a spice village,” said another.
But many were disheartened after discovering the price for an original set. After being discontinued for over three decades, they’ve become rare collectibles, with full sets going for upwards of $2,300 on platforms such as eBay and Etsy.
“The cheapest set I’ve found is USD$1,600. I just can’t justify paying that much,” said one.
“Is there a dupe for these, because I love them but can not afford them,” asked another.
The American company who created them, Lenox, heard their frustrations and have since announced that they are launching a second edition collection at the same price point as 1989.
They will be sold exclusively at Lenox for USD$15 a piece. A six-piece set costs USD$72 and the full 24-piece set, featuring all the houses, will set you back USD$285.
While it sounds like a lot, it is a significantly cheaper option than buying a vintage set from eBay or Etsy.
More than 8,000 people have signed up to be notified of the pre-sale, showing just how popular these adorable spice sets are. However, it is still unclear whether the jars will be available in Australia.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that the power of social media can make anything happen. Many Aussies are already commenting on the Lenox Instagram post that announced the new release.
“I think you have a massive audience internationally for this specific drop! I’d really hope you’d open up to international shipping, at least for Australia,” said one Instagram user.
