The Real McCoy-Buying the Genuine Article

Suzannetique — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:52:00 GMT

Now that the world is one giant marketplace thanks to the internet, it’s become worthwhile for the less than honest to reproduce lower priced items. In fact, the numbers are probably better-why pay for the time and talent to manufacture one fake Tiffany vase when you can crank out 100 fake McCoys? It’s easier and probably safer since customers are less apt to seek redress for a $15 fake McCoy vase than a $2,000 fake Tiffany lamp.

Counterfeiters have been around since the beginning of time. The ancient Romans so admired the sculpture of the ancient Greeks before them, that they frequently copied them, and before long there was a thriving trade in “antiquities.” More recently, a couple I know purchased some high quality timepieces from a street vendor during their honeymoon in Hawaii. He bought a Cartier Tank Watch, and she a Rolex Oyster. And all for $25 for the pair. . .

It’s not difficult to spot inexpensive copies of high end fakes. The strap on the Tank Watch was clearly plastic, as was the sapphire on the winding stem. The numerals of the watch face were crooked and out of alignment. There’s a reason these watches sell for thousands, and it’s because they’re beautifully made of high quality materials. Not so with faked vintage pottery.

A few years ago, I came across a questionable Rosveville Pottery wall pocket. It looked like a Freesia piece, but the quality of the workmanship and harsh coloring were not what one would have expected. While it is true that Roseville was production pottery, and to a degree, clay is clay, this particular piece wasn’t anything close to the quality of craftsmanship Roseville typically produced.

Sometimes you can tell just by looking, but in the case of McCoy, you have to know what you’re looking at. Because McCoy pottery was largely inexpensive production ware, quality of workmanship is not a tell. Sometimes, the only way to spot a fake is the knowledge that it looks too new, or was never made in that particular color. In recent years, Nelson McCoy and his wife Bille have produced some reissues of vintage McCoy pieces. These are clearly marked as such. Most vintage McCoy pottery was loved and used, and rarely do authentic vintage pieces surface in like new condition.

If you find a piece charming and affordable, by all means, buy what pleases you. If you’re interested in your collection as an investment however, make sure you’re buying the real McCoy.

To find out more about counterfeit collectibles, read How to Buy Real McCoy Pottery and How to Spo

Fake Art Glass.

Decorative Arts : genuine mccoy pottery

The Real McCoy-Buying the Genuine Article