Before plastic handles and asbestos oven mitts retrieving items from a hot oven was difficult and moving a hot kettle could be hazardous. What options were there? Pot holders! During the 1940s and 1950s, hand crocheted pot holders became an artistic staple in kitchens across America. From simple circles to recognizable objects, mothers and grandmothers created pot holders to use, to give away, and to sell at bazaars. In this colorful book, Gay & Gifty Pot Holders, hundreds of examples are pictured, explained, dated, and priced. Collectors and dealers alike will appreciate the comprehensive look at an art form few know how to create, but so many enjoy collecting. 260 color photos illustrate a wide variety of pot holders, and concise captions provide information and current values. Whether you buy pot holders to use, display, keep, or sell, you will appreciate Barbara Mauzy's thoroughness on another aspect of kitchen collecting.