Posted 14 years ago
SMD
(82 items)
In my teen years & early 20's I collected vintage and antique pie birds and pie funnels (also called pie vents). I also have some newer ones from the past 15 years that have not been used. A pie bird (or pie funnel) is placed in the middle of a pie crust to allow steam to escape through the top during baking so the juices remain inside the pie. It's a fun piece of kitchen history.
Here are photos of some of my "flock".
Cool collection. I actually had to google "pie funnel" to see what the heck it was! lol I'm not a baker, or a cook for that matter.... my husband is.
Thanks. This article provides a bit of information: http://www.antiquetrader.com/article/Pie_birds/
Well, you really do learn something new everyday! Thanks!
BeauxPurdy, I am glad this helped you solve the mystery! A blackbird pie bird made in England is what got me started on my collection when I was 12 or 13.
I see these sometimes in antique stores. Never knew what they were. Very interesting.
It is much harder to find genuine vintage & antique birds in today then it was 15 + years ago. Most I have seen both in antique stores and online are reproductions being passed off as vintage or antique.
I added my Royal Worcester pie birds in new postings today.