Something Was Actually Produced In The USA?

The time and place is 1890 in Roseville Ohio, where an American pottery company officially named the “Roseville Pottery Company” was born. Founded by J.F. Weaver the company was incorporated in 1892 with a former Roseville salesman named George Young. Under Young’s direction the company found great success by first producing practical stoneware pieces, then in 1895 the company expanded purchasing Midland Pottery, and later taking even more control of the market by purchasing Clark Stoneware Company in Zanesville Ohio where they eventually moved their headquarters to. Roseville’s roots started with the production of practical everyday household pottery items, and it wasn’t until 1900 that Young hired Ross C. Purdy to create the company’s first art pottery line, according to Wikipedia.

 Feel free to view this video, courtesy youtube, which provides multiple examples of Roseville Pottery!

The first art line was called “Rozane,” which was designed to compete against rival pottery company’s art lines. According to Wikipedia, the name “Rozane” was created as a contraction of the two cities “Roseville” and “Zanesville.” George Young had brought great success to the company and by 1901 they owned and operated four plants and employed 325 people, according to Wikipedia. 

Some of the company’s most popular designs were created by a man named Frank Ferrell who became the art director in 1917. Amongst some of the most popular designs were “Blackberry,” “Sunflower,” and “Pinecone.” But like all great things Roseville Pottery came to an end, they produced their final designs in 1953 and closed their facilities in 1954. Ironically Roseville was bought by another company called the “Mosaic Tile Company,” according to Wikipedia. 

Rosville pottery had many popular designs, which explains why so many others have replicated their work with multiple reproduction pieces. So you have to be careful when purchasing as too make sure it’s the real deal! Like most everything some Roseville pieces can be worth a couple hundred dollars or many up in the thousands!! For example an 18 inch tall vase from the “Freesia” line introduced in 1945 is worth approximately $1,400.00, according to appraisers. For the full article and photo on this appraisal feel free to visit http://www.countryliving.com/antiques/appraisals/roseville-pottery-vase-0605. 

I hope you have enjoyed and learned something new about a great and well known American Pottery company, and the next time someone offers to give you a piece of stoneware that resembles these pieces, TAKE IT!! And say thank you for it could be worth thousands!!!

Have you ever seen a vase like this?

This week I would like to discuss my mother’s favorite item to collect. Though she has several interests, our whole family helps her search for this beloved item…Lady Head vases. Including my sister-in-law who is not very interested in antiques, finds these vases very desirable as they are beautiful and unique.

Lady Head vases like many collectibles have an interesting history. Produced from 1940 to 1970 there is a wide variety of companies who produced them. Though the company Enesco was one of the biggest producers of the vases, many company’s also produced beautiful work such as Napco, Relpo, American Pottery’s, Lefton, Reubens, and Inarco. The vases were originally made for floral shops and gained their greatest popularity in the 50s to assist increasing sales.

Floral shops and retail stores could purchase the vases in bulk (either 6 or 12 to a case) for just a few dollars at this time. The ladies represent the fashion of the time wearing a variety of accessories such as necklaces, earrings, hats, scarves, tiaras, umbrellas or rings if the vases featured a manicured hand. Older vases are usually larger in size and newer smaller due to increasing manufacturing costs.

Today you can find these ladies at auctions, garage sales, flea markets, or thrift shops. However they are rare and can be sometimes difficult to find. Like many collectibles they can be worth just a few dollars to thousands depending on size, condition, rarity, and their markings. 

When purchasing collectibles you must a careful of reproductions, however unlike a piece of depression glass, lady head vase reproductions are easy to spot as they are poorly made and look vastly different from the originals. When purchasing such an item you will want to inspect the bottom of the vase to look for proper lettering or a sticker which will usually tell you what company made it, date, and item number.

I hope you have enjoyed this post!

*Photo above is of five ladies who are a part of my mother's collection.

Have you ever bought a bedroom suite for only $105?

In this post I will be discussing one of my favorite items to view and purchase at various venues, furniture! Whenever I attend an auction, flea market, thrift shop, or garage sale I always find myself most interested in scooping out the furniture selection though I am not in need of any. I love purchasing furniture at the venues listed above and there are several reasons why.

I enjoy finding all different kinds of furniture, pieces made from glass, metal, or wood are always present. I find furniture pieces from different time periods very interesting and though I have my favorites, I enjoy viewing them all. If you walk into a furniture store today will be surrounded by couches, beds, tables, chairs, and much more with the latest designs, fabrics, and patterns. Though I like these up to date items as well, I enjoy viewing previously owned furniture at auctions because many items are rare, unique, and have a story behind them.

Now speaking of retail furniture stores, yes of course you can find the latest styles, brands, financing, and delivery, however if you don’t mind a nice clean previously owned furniture piece you may find it far more economical. For example, my brother and sister-in-law have been searching for a nice large dresser for their master bedroom for about the past 6 months. They already had a beautiful bed purchased at Nebraska Furniture Mart for approximately $1000.00. This past weekend they attended an auction where they bought a beautiful large solid wood dresser with attached mirror for only $35.00. But they didn’t stop there, they went ahead and purchased the whole set, which included the dresser, full size bed, and armoire all with a decorative matching design. They paid only $105 for all three pieces! So in conclusion purchasing furniture at an auction can be just as if not far more economical than buying retail.

Now my brother and sister-in-laws fabulous find this past weekend is for a more practical and everyday use. However many purchase antique furniture for its history and ultimately what it’s worth; always remember that when buying pieces worth more money they should be solid wood and absolutely no particle board. In addition other aspects that make a piece worth more value, is if it has the original “pulls,” “lock/key,” and “beveled glass.” In addition unique carved designs or stenciling can also increase the value of wood pieces or a stamping of a company date, logo, or trademark.  

Some tips to remember when purchasing furniture at such venues is that unlike retail stores with delivery options, you will have to haul it home yourself. It’s always best to make sure you can remove the item that day from the sale location, as many auctioneers will not guarantee that it will be there the next day or if they have rented the location it may have to be emptied and totally cleared according to their rental contract. Always be helpful and courteous to others loading furniture, a little help and kindness toward someone else can go a long way. For example, my father and brother always load my furniture items and they also help out others loading too. We always have the favor returned when my mother or I have bought a large heavy item.

In addition furniture prices at auction as well as others previously owned furniture venues have been low over the past couple of years. If you have some extra spending cash it’s a great time to purchase some nice pieces at a fraction of what they were selling for eight years ago or possibly again in the future. Primitive pieces are a very hot item on the market right now, and the great thing about these rustic/distressed pieces that they do not need to be refinished or resurfaced, thus once you have purchased the piece there are no additional costs. I hope you have once again enjoyed and learned something new from my post, however even if you don’t “collect” antique furniture you can still use these tips to help fill your empty apartment or home with nice furnishings for a fraction of the cost!  

One Man's Junk Is Another Man's Treasure!

I recently posted about the famous collectible Hummel figurines and their interesting past, but what about their present? Where do you find such collectibles? Many people who are either not collectors or just beginning to collect find themselves wondering and searching where the best places for great finds are. As I stated in my introduction post, I have grown up learning about what’s collectible, where you can find it, the best price, and of course how to haggle with a seller.  

Garage sales, estate sales, and thrift stores are a great place to hunt for buried treasure, sure you may come upon a bunch of junk but there’s always the chance that someone will be selling a unique collectible item at a much reduced price. If you are buying to resale that is of course more profit in your pocket, but even if you are simply buying for the enjoyment of the piece, you can take great joy in the economical price! You can usually find advertisements for these types of sales in your local newspaper or online.     

The local “Green Acres” newspaper serves Northeast Kansas and Missouri with a complete listing of auctions, antique stores, and flea markets. At the peak of the auction season there can sometimes be up to 70 auctions listed for you to choose from. These three venues are all great places to find desired items, however you have to be careful when buying or bidding not to over pay! When purchasing items you must use good judgment and know when it’s time to back down from a high bid or price tag. Though there are many rare and unique items worth purchasing at a higher price if financially feasible, usually patience is a virtue and you can eventually find what you want at a price you like.   

When shopping at any antique store or flea market it’s always a good idea to ask if the price marked is their best/lowest, unless the item is marked “firm.” The worst that can happen, is they tell you “no,” otherwise you might get an item for much less than originally priced! When bidding on items at an auction it always best to pick out the pieces you are interested in and set an approximate price of what you would be willing to pay. Auctioneers move very quickly working to hike the sale price up fast, if you set a price prior to the auction, you have more control over what your paying than everyone else who is panicking trying to decide if they should fold or bid higher.  

My last tip for bidding at an auction pertains to when an auctioneer groups several items together for the sale of one price. If you choose to withdraw your bid and loose to another individual it’s never a bad idea to ask the winning individual if they would be willing to sell you one of the pieces they may not want. For example I attended a sale this past June where I seriously wanted to purchase a figurine, however the auctioneer grouped several figurines together and I decided to back out of the bid which was currently up to $35. After the bid was closed I kindly asked the woman who beat me if she would be willing to sell me the figurine I wanted, in return she replied that she was not interested in that particular item and would gladly sell me it for $5. An example of why it doesn’t hurt to ask, she could have said no, but instead I got what I wanted and at a great price!     

I hope you once again enjoyed my post and even if you do not collect antiques, maybe you could apply some of these tactics when making other purchases in your life. And if you are a “newbie” to the auction world remember to bring your driver’s license. As you will have to provide that pertinent information to receive your valid bidding number!   

Hummels! Where did they come from?

My mother and I just recently attended a local estate sale where she found an item she couldn’t bare leaving without. She had discovered a Hummel figurine of a little girl knelt down feeding several ducklings from a basket. I agreed with her that though it was an expensive purchase, it was well worth it as the figurine was in pristine condition and was clearly marked correctly on the bottom. But why would someone pay for such an expensive figurine? My mother and I both greatly enjoy the history of the items we collect, we love learning about why they were made, who made them, and what purpose they served.

The Hummel pieces beginning dates back to 1876 when Franz Goebel started a porcelain firm in Germany. Though it was not until much later in the 1930’s that Franz decided to create new figurines, the Hummels. During a time in the world of political turmoil, Franz believed that customers would respond to a product that depicted the gentle innocence of childhood. Now you are probably asking yourself; how did these figurines get the name “Hummel?” Someone had to design the figurines for the factory to produce and that person was named Maria Innocentia Hummel. Otherwise known as Sister Hummel, she enrolled in Munich’s Academy of Applied Arts in 1927 and upon graduating she entered the Convent of Seissen in 1931. Though Sister Hummel lived only to age 37, Franz kept her legacy alive by creating more Hummel figurines.

 Now how do you tell if a figurine is real or faux? There are two markings to authenticate a Hummel, the first is “Sister M.I. Hummel” marked on a piece, or the Goebel company marking which has changed some over the years but can be found on the bottom of pieces. My mother’s for example has the official Goebel marking and in addition is marked “Western Germany.”

Lastly what are they worth today? Though some pieces are only worth $50-$100, many are also valued at selling for close to $2,000.00. This is why it is so important to examine your figurine carefully and make sure you are not paying top dollar for a fake from China or Japan. I hope you have enjoyed this post, and the next time you come upon a Hummel figurine; remember why it was made, the artistic minds who created them, and the time in which they represent.

Please note the information above is according to http://www.drloriv.com/appraisals/hummel.asp, you can visit this site for the full article on Hummels as well as a picture of the Goebel trademark found on the bottom of each authentic piece.       

Introduction

I come from a long line of antique collector’s, growing up I spent much time with my grandmother and mother who loved to attend auctions, flea markets, estate sales, and other venues to find and collect items of interest! This blog will bring to you interesting antique/vintage peices and explain what they were used for, why they were produced, what company’s made them, what their worth, where to find these items, and how to tell if their real or reproductions. I hope you enjoy each peices unique history as much as I do!