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How Old Pottery Companies Still Exist Today

The McCoy pottery line was sold in 1974, this time to the Lancaster Colony Corporation and McCoy, Jr. retired from his leading role less than ten years later. In 1985, McCoy pottery was sold to Designer Accents of New Jersey, marking the last of its corporate transitions. Designer Accents continued to produce select pieces from the earlier McCoy collections and introduced new pieces as well. The McCoy legacy carried on until 1990, when Designer Accents ceased operations.

As many McCoy pieces have become quite scarce, replicas are common. Most commonly, true pieces feature McCoy name etched in a stylized, curvy font on the bottom. This inscription began with Sidney Cope, one of the chief designers, while some older pieces contain an overlapping "M" and "C". Too often, imitation pieces do not feature any trademark. In order to determine a true piece of pottery from a reproduction, McCoy experts suggest becoming familiar with the entire line.

As Roseville pieces are currently so high in demand, many of the pieces available on online auction sites and at flea markets are replicas. In the early years, Roseville pottery featured a sticker on the bottom, to be later replaced by a blue stamp and an imprint in the clay itself. By about 1940, the company began using a raised trademark. Between the late 1920s and early 1930s, several patterns were issued without a Roseville mark of any kind, leaving it difficult to confirm their authenticity, particularly to an untrained eye.

Roseville pottery was forced to close in 1954. Some Roseville experts speculate that as the company changed, so did the quality of the pieces. Towards the end of production, Roseville collections had become substandard, as compared to the earlier, finely handcrafted pieces. Today, Roseville pottery remains one of the most popular pottery names in American history, with its rare pieces currently being bought and sold for exceptional amounts of money.

The original Frankoma company lasted until 2004, when it was sold to the creators of the Merrymac line. The newest owners make their own clay, hand-craft each piece, and continue to use Frankoma moulds and designs.

Many Frankoma experts encourage new collectors to do some serious research before shopping for pieces. By becoming familiar with the glaze colours used and, more importantly, the shape of the pottery, amateurs can better identify a genuine piece. The Internet is a great source of information, as well as hard-copied collectors' guides.

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Victor Epand is an expert consultant for pottery, antiques, and figurines. When shopping for pottery, antiques and figurines, we recommend these online stores for McCoy pottery, Frankoma potttery, Roseville pottery, antiques, and figurines.

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