Though it's extremely doubtful that anyone has ever found "four-and-twenty blackbirds" baked into their pie a la mode, they may well have spotted a pie bird or two.

Don't know what a pie bird is? A pie bird (or pie funnel, as it's more commonly known in Great Britain) serves to vent the steam in a pie while it is baking and thus prevent the juices from bubbling over and staining the oven. It also acts as a support to prevent the top crust from sagging. But even more important to know is that pie birds are collectible.

Dating to at least Victorian England, pie birds don't necessarily resemble birds. Though variations of the black bird abound, some pieces resemble little more than inverted funnels, while others have taken on such forms as elephants, cats, lighthouses, fish, chefs, and Santas.

Most pie birds are ceramic - stoneware and porcelain are common - and usually measure 3 to 5 inches in height. They are sometimes confused with regular figurines, but arches at the base through which steam enters the funnel and the existence of at least one vent hole at the top betray their utilitarian nature. (Instead of arches, some pieces have bases circumnavigated with holes.)

Shawnee, Pfaltzgraff, McCoy, and Spode are just a few of the major manufacturers that have - and in some cases still are - making pie birds. Add to the list creations by noted artists like Dana Simson and Rachel Bass and by many small companies such as Donnaware in England and Sandhurst in Minnesota (USA), and it is clear that the variety of pie vents available to the collector is vast.

Values run the gamut from extremely affordable to major investment. Contemporary, mass-produced pieces generally sell from about $5 to $15. Most limited editions run from $25 to $75. And vintage and antique specimens can fetch as much or more, with some rare pieces selling in the hundreds.

Pie bird, pie funnel, pie vent, pie chimney - whatever the name - this fun, but often overlooked collectible is one worth exploring further. Check out the resources listed below for more information, and

Happy Hunting!

Books

Collectibles for the Kitchen, Bath & Beyond: A Pictorial Guide

Four & Twenty BLACKBIRDS, Vol. 1: Pie Birds, A pictorial identification and value guide

Four & Twenty BLACKBIRDS, Vol. 2: Pie Birds, A pictorial identification and value guide

Websites

Black Birds Baked in a Pie? - Link - Sandy Moyer of BellaOnline describes the use of a pie bird when baking.

Collectable Ceramic Pie Funnels - Link - Ceramic Pie Funnels/Pie Birds Handmade

Donnaware Pottery - Link - by Donnaware Pottery (Great Britain). History, pics, more.

Collecting Pie Funnels - Link - "Favourite Collectables" page gives overview of British funnels.

Pie Birds: It's Not Just Blackbirds That Are Baked Into Pies - Link - Informative article in The GPSA (Glass and Pottery Sellers' Association) Gazette.

Piebird - Link - Collector Kathy Lye's online store

Update - Collector's Corner: Bobbing Head Dolls
If you were one of those prescient individuals who bought Adrian Monk bobblehead dolls when they were available from the USA Network, congratulations! As the Monk television series drew to a close, the values of the dolls skyrocketed. In just a few short weeks, online auction prices for mint-in-box specimens increased steadily from about $25 to over $300!!! Here's hoping that you had invested in more than one.

See original article on the topic of bobbing head dolls.