Vintage Anthropomorphic PY Blue Bird Salt and Pepper Shakers

This a tip for all you salt and pepper shaker collectors for getting the stopper out that ended up inside your shaker. Usually you will have this problem with vintage cork stoppers as they tend to dry out and get brittle and if you fiddle with it…inside it goes.  Here is a picture of my latest shaker addition; it is a vintage Blue bird made by PY Japan and darn it, the cork stopper is inside. I take a sturdy toothpick and very carefully insert it into a sturdy area in the cork and slowly but surely with some light coxing out comes the stopper!! I find the toothpick is solid and strong enough but not too strong that it will break the cork as the last thing you want is your cork coming out in multiple crumbled bits and pieces.  It might take you a few tries with the toothpick but be gentle and go about slowly and you will be so relieved when that cork is pulled out . Once the old cork is out, you can clean it or replace it with a better fitting stopper. Hope this tip is helpful to you!!