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