Friday, September 27, 2013

Origin Of The Brown Bag Cookie Molds

While walking through the streets of Boston's
China town in early 1982, Lucy Natkiel 
spotted a tray of beautiful molded almond cookies 
through the window of a small grocery store.  
Inspired by the intricate details of those oversized
 cookies, Lucy created Brown Bag Cookie Art molds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Good Luck Fish was the first Brown 
Bag cookie mold designed and produced by
Lucy in 1983.   
Beautiful Swan was introduced
in the first year of production and
was used as the advertising symbol.
Why the name Brown Bag?
"We have been asked over and over where
the name Brown Bag Cookie Art came 
from.  Actually, it evolved out of our philosophy
that the small, everyday things in our
lives should be as wonderful as possible.
What could be more ordinary than brown
bags?  What treat is more common than
cookies?  Let's take these humble things that
we almost take for granted and elevate them
to a level that they become art.  These
cookies are edible art to be enjoyed every
day, not just on special occasions."
Lucy Natkeil
Lucy designed well over 200 cookie molds until
her retirement in 2006.   The most sought after
molds today, were not very popular when
they were first produced so few were made.
A couple examples.

Cat With Bird-1983 
 
Walrus-1986
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucy still designs beautiful cookie stamps and
 shortbread pans.  I have a couple of pans, not only 
are they beautiful, but they make the best 
shortbread, which just happens to be my hubby's 
favorite cookie with his English tea.
I purchased my first mold in 1983 at the
original issue price of $12.00. Eventually
the price was $18.00, a bit too pricey with a
growing family.  A few years later I began to see
 them at garage sales and flea markets for as little
 as 25 cents and my obsession began!
Good thing my kitchen has beams.........
the other sides are full too!
Learn more at:

8 comments:

  1. Very interesting. the cookie molds are very pretty. They look great in your kitchen.

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  2. They look like art hanging up there. :~)

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  3. Oh WOW Sherri, These are fantastic. The beams really show off the cookie molds and they are much larger than I thought. Your kitchen is spectacular! I never knew the history of the Brown Bag cookie molds, thanks for sharing your photos. (I see you collect pitchers....me too!)

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  4. What a beautiful kitchen...perfect for your collections! I am keeping an eye out for the molds, but no luck yet.

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  5. Thank you for the lovely little history. I wonder about the car and cleaning if these molds and if the are interchangeable for foods and crafts or to be kept separate. Thank you

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  6. Amy, Glad you enjoyed this post on the history of Brown Bag Molds. I have posts on crafts etc. using these molds. You can access them on the upper right hand corner. These molds can be cleaned in the dishwasher. I use them for cookies and the crafts listed, but make sure they are thoroughly cleaned between use. Thanks, Sherri

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  7. Found the first cookie mold made by Brown Bag. Very happy because so frw were produced.

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