Out of context, “Spice Village” sounds like somewhere you might go for a bachelor party. But the real ones know this icon of the late-’80s and early-’90s is wholesome coziness manifest. It is so quintessentially cottagecore that it existed before cottagecore had a name. Made by Lenox, the 135-year-old company known for its china and collectible porcelain, a second edition of this adorable set of 24 spice jars is available for pre-order for the first time since 1993.
The discontinued set is a nostalgic favorite that has found a resurgence of popularity on (where else?) TikTok. It features two dozen 3-inch porcelain spice jars shaped like wee Victorian houses, each with a spice written over the door: rosemary, oregano, basil, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic, saffron, bay, tarragon, ginger, thyme, parsley, marjoram, mustard, clove, coriander, sage, paprika, onion, chive, pepper, celery, and dill. The set was originally released as a subscription: customers would receive a spice box a month for two years to get the whole set. At the time, there were also coordinated items to go with the set, including canisters, a teapot, a condiment set, recipe box, and more.
Second-hand sales of the original collection can range from more than $100 per jar to over $2,000 for a complete set with display shelf. Folks looking to score a new spice village of their own — exclusively through Lenox.com or Macys.com — will pay $285 for the collection with a limit of one set per customer in an attempt to curb resellers taking advantage of eager collectors.
“I’m so excited for this,” wrote Instagram user @grohupginger. “I’ve been wanting this set forever. I’m honestly on the verge of tears at work … thinking about finally owning [the set].”
“Heart palpitating. Freaking out. Need it so bad,” agreed @rachforlestars.
If you’re not keen to drop almost $300 for a pretty spice rack, you can ask four friends to buy you a set of six for $72, which is a great option if you have a lot of people asking you what you want for your birthday/Christmas/Hanukkah/etc. You can also purchase these quaint jars individually for $15 apiece. Not only is this only five cents more than they originally sold for in 1989 (congrats: we’ve found the one consumer good not affected by inflation), but it’s perfect for folks who want to replace missing or damaged jars in an existing set without spending hundreds of dollars on eBay.
No word on whether the rest of the original accessories (like the aforementioned canisters) will be made available any time soon, but a cottagecore girlie can dream…
