| Reproduction.In most mid-century American collectible | | | | turn out a duplicate. Scratch the original manufacturer |
| pottery circles, the word reproduction draws | | | | logo on the underside before you fire it, and you |
| immediate, passionate responses, usually negative. A | | | | have a counterfeit.You see the results of this ease all |
| quick read of posts on the larger cookie jar collector | | | | over the auction website eBay, where hundreds of |
| forums will reveal a loathing of ceramic reproductions | | | | counterfeits of simple pottery designs can be found |
| that has no parallel in any other area of art.However, | | | | every day. The easier the piece is to duplicate, the |
| most of those who express the strongest feelings | | | | more numerous the counterfeits. One prominent |
| about reproduction pottery are using the word | | | | counterfeiter is known to say that his favorite piece |
| "reproduction" when they really mean, "counterfeit". | | | | to make is the McCoy "Mammy" cookie jar because |
| A counterfeit is a reproduction deliberately | | | | it is so "easy" to paint. A quick scan of eBay will |
| mismarked for the sole purpose of confusing the | | | | show his statement to be true. On most days, there |
| prospective buyer into believing it was made by the | | | | are more "fake" McCoy Mammy cookie jars for sale |
| original company.Properly, permanently marked, | | | | than genuine ones.The main counterfeiters in the |
| reproductions pose no threat to collectible ceramics. | | | | collectible mid-century pottery world are well known. |
| They can never be confused with the original items, | | | | None of them are actually artists, and they have |
| even if they are passed from consumer to consumer. | | | | concentrated on counterfeiting mass-produced simple |
| Counterfeits are, rightly so, the scourge of any | | | | designs because of their lack of mold making and |
| collectible circle.Reproductions have always coexisted | | | | artistic skill. You see very little counterfeit Roseville |
| with art and collectibles. Any desirable painting, | | | | Pottery, for example, since the original glazing |
| sculpture, piece or style of furniture, doll, textile, | | | | techniques and color application processes are simply |
| mosaic, piece of jewelry, ancient treasure, or ceramic | | | | outside the skill level of the current |
| piece that is outside of current copyright protection | | | | counterfeiters.Simplicity is why McCoy Pottery and |
| is a candidate for reproduction, if for no other reason | | | | the Hull Red Riding Hood line have drawn the |
| than to satisfy the market demand for items that | | | | attentions of the counterfeiters to an extreme. As |
| are one of a kind or outside the budget of the | | | | they branch out for new material, they have recently |
| masses.Most collector groups have to wrestle with | | | | turned their attention to Watt Pottery, which |
| education about discerning original from reproduction, | | | | produced simple bowls and pitchers with relatively |
| especially vintage reproductions of their art form. In | | | | easy to reproduce folk art style motifs.Even if the |
| furniture, for example, reproductions of many period | | | | current counterfeiters were stopped, there will |
| styles are now as collectible as the originals they | | | | always be someone else with a bag of plaster to |
| copied. Serious collectors of period originals have to | | | | take their place. Early to Mid-century American |
| be very educated about discerning examples from | | | | pottery has only become really collectible in the last |
| the era they specialize in from later made | | | | 15-20 years or so, but as it gets more valuable and |
| reproductions. Thousands of dollars are often at | | | | desirable, the skill level of the counterfeiters will |
| stake, so very few people take up collecting antique | | | | surely rise. As the potential for profit rises, |
| furniture, jewelry, or paintings casually.Mid-era | | | | counterfeiting this type of pottery will attract those |
| collectible ceramics present unique challenges for | | | | with more experience to offer the task. Ironically, |
| collectors. The originals were often mass-produced | | | | this will probably be a good thing for the genre, as |
| under low-tech conditions with inexpensive materials. | | | | collectors will be much more careful about their |
| They were often colored with simple designs or solid | | | | purchases if there is considerably more money at |
| finishes, ideal for quick, easy turnaround in a factory. | | | | stake for each piece.For now, it is incumbent on the |
| While there were smaller pottery companies, like the | | | | potential collector to take on collecting mid-century |
| Helen Hutula Company of the 1940's, whose complex | | | | pottery products with a margin of wariness and |
| cookie jars have never been reproduced, there were | | | | commitment to research and education. While that |
| also large manufacturers, like the McCoy Pottery | | | | may not seem "fair", it is reality. Collecting ceramics |
| Company, who have drawn more than their share of | | | | from any manufacturer whose originals were |
| interest in duplicating their ceramic products.The | | | | inexpensive, mass-produced, simple designs must |
| designers at McCoy Pottery turned out hundreds of | | | | necessarily be considered "High Risk" for |
| simple, utilitarian, designs that required very little | | | | fraud.StoryBook Ceramics creates reproductions, not |
| artistic talent to produce. For a factory setting, this | | | | counterfeits. Our reproductions are properly marked, |
| was desirable, since it allowed for the easy, uniform | | | | permanently, to forever designate them as |
| creation of the pottery without requiring teams of | | | | StoryBook Ceramics products. We have reproduced |
| specialized artists that could be costly to train and | | | | many of the expensive, complex examples of |
| maintain.From the vantage point of a counterfeiter, | | | | mid-century pottery for the first time, making them |
| however, the simplicity of the original products is their | | | | available to budget minded collectors. Our items are |
| weakness.Anyone with a cheap kiln, a bucket of slip | | | | specifically designed to pose no threat to any |
| and a bag of plaster has the potential to create a | | | | collector.We take the responsibility of creating |
| "knock-off". The process of creating a plaster mold | | | | reproductions seriously, and we take educating |
| from an original piece of pottery isn't terribly complex. | | | | people about the dangers of counterfeits seriously |
| There are better and worse ways to go about it, | | | | too. Understanding how counterfeiters think, and |
| and the complexity of the piece is a huge factor in | | | | what products and manufacturers they target is one |
| the success rate, but for a simple item, like a bowl, | | | | of the best ways to avoid being victimized by them. |
| vase or simple planter, even a first timer has a | | | | It is our hope to rehabilitate the notion of a legitimate |
| reasonably good chance of making a workable mold | | | | ceramic reproduction, while simultaneously educating |
| with minimal effort.Once a mold is made, the rest is | | | | collectors about the inside workings of those who |
| simply process. Unless the original piece had complex | | | | produce counterfeits.Remember, "repro" is not a |
| designs or painting, there is no artistic skill needed to | | | | four-letter word.... but "fake" is. |